Try
by shellshock81
Summary: Bella moves to the other side of the world, leaving everything she's ever known behind, including a broken heart. Edward, star player of one of New Zealand's best Super15 rugby teams is so smitten over his new Pilates trainer, he can't stop himself from going after her. Will they find a way to make it work on and off the field?
1. Prologue

**A/N: A very late birthday present for one of my most favoritest people. Love you, Whiti.**

**Disclaimer: These are not my characters, they belong to Stephanie Meyer, but I had fun playing with them.**

* * *

I feel a little nervous walking into The Kingslander with Esme and Alice for the first time since that awful night three weeks ago, but mostly pumped up for a fun night out. Our boys won their first game of the season and everyone looked and felt great. I could tell Jasper was happy with my part in their success and I'm looking forward to celebrating our victory.

Alice and Esme lead me around the bar to the back room reserved for the team. We grab a corner table and order a round of drinks while waiting on the team to show up. As I take my first sip of Monteith's Cider, I'm pleasantly surprised at the apple flavor and quickly follow with several more sips.

"Told you it was good!" Esme smirks at me as she drinks from her own glass. The first time I came here with the team I was too scared to order anything other than a Heineken. It was the only beer I recognized on tap, and they haven't let me live it down yet.

I smirk back at her, wrinkling my nose and wiggling my head before mimicking, "Told you so," back to her. I know… I'm so mature.

"The guys looked amazing tonight. It's going to be our best season yet. I know it! I'm so proud of Jasper," Alice says, bubbling with her usual excitement.

I nod in agreement. I don't know the ins and outs of rugby yet, but their teamwork was incredible and their endurance and strength were palpable at the end of tonight's game. I take several more sips of my beer while Alice and Esme discuss key plays of the game and I'm surprised when my glass is nearly empty. I set it down gingerly, push it away from me, and decide to wait until I eat something before ordering another one.

As if on cue, a server arrives and places a platter in front of us overflowing with chicken tenders, terakihi bites, crusty bread, fries, and several dipping sauces… along with another beer for me.

Esme laughs at the expression on my face and grabs one of the fries. "They know us well here," she shrugs.

I dig into the chicken tenders, tearing it into bite-sized pieces so I can taste each sauce and decide the aioli is my favorite. I've just polished off my first tender when Alice looks at me and asks, "So, before this piss-up starts, tell me what's up with you and Edward? I feel like I haven't talked to you at all since you moved out last week. We need to make a point to get together at least once a week from now on. It's a shame Rose's rellies are in town and she couldn't make it tonight, but it's always a riot to see Emmett pissed. Enough rambling, though! You and Edward…?"

I glance at Esme, slightly uncomfortable talking about Edward in front of his sister-in-law, but since there isn't much to tell, I continue anyway. "Not much to say, Ali. I treat him the same way I treat everyone on the team and vice versa."

_Big fat lie_. We flirt all the time when we're alone.

"I told you that kiss was a huge mistake and I'm still glad I stopped it before it got any further," I continue.

_Lie number two_. Best kiss of my life to date and for the life of me I don't know why I stopped it.

"I'm sure he regrets it... he hasn't brought it up since he apologized and acts as if nothing happened," I finish.

_Might as well go for the trifecta in the lie department._ The way his eyes linger on my lips leave no doubt in my mind - he does NOT regret it.

Esme chuckles, "_Girl,_ you are in deep denial if you think Edward regrets that kiss. I know that boy better than most and he is _so_ smitten with you. You need to just give him a chance to show you that."

I roll my eyes at Esme. She hinted this week she's hoping for some grand love story between Edward and me. Truth be told, I wouldn't mind it either, but the likelihood of that happening is slim considering our circumstances. I'm over any qualms I had before about dating Edward, and I hope he's still interested. With the team preparing for their first game this week, I barely spoke to him at all so I'm not feeling as confident as I was about his feelings last weekend. Maybe he's realized there's no point in pursuing anything with me given my time here is up in less than a year.

Regardless, the girls don't know I'm ready to pursue something with Edward. After two weeks of Edward's unquestioning support while I figured myself out, I wasn't about to let them in on my decision before talking to him. As far as they are concerned I'm still thinking that if I want to be taken seriously, I need to act like a professional which does not include bonking the hottest, most successful player on the Blues rugby team.

"Esme, I'm his trainer. I really want…"

"Don't give me that, 'How would it look to the rest of the team?' bullshit. You're past that. It wouldn't have even been a blip on your radar if it weren't for that skank, Tanya, trying to get all up in everyone's jock strap. It's not against the rules and with the improvement in the team, coupled with the fact that EVERYONE loves what you're doing here; no one would even bat an eyelash. It's so not a big deal. You need to take that boy out to the wop-wops and give his ferret a run," Esme waves her fry at me as she knocks out all of my reasons for keeping a safe distance from Edward Cullen.

I snort into my beer when Esme basically tells me to have sex with her brother-in-law and realize this is the first time I've seen Esme drink. She's apparently a lightweight as she's just barely finished her first. While she's always direct and says what's on her mind, I seriously doubt I'd ever hear her utter the phrase "up in everyone's jock strap" without alcohol involved.

"Whatever, Esme. Keep drinking and hush up. Can we please move on?"

I snatch the fry out of Esme's hand and pop it in my mouth as Alice laughs at us. "All right, I'll drop it, too… AFTER I lay it out there that you are completely wrong and Esme is totally right. Edward is so hot for you. I've never seen him like that with anyone. And speaking of… HEY JAS!" Alice basically screams her greeting before running to her man and jumping in his arms. Literally. She's a tiny little thing.

The entire team is filtering in behind their coach and I see Emmett, Edward, and Riley near the middle of the pack. Emmett makes a beeline for our table and of course, Edward and Riley follow. Emmett grabs the seat next to Esme, most likely because the food is right next to her. Edward gives me his patented, sexy smirk and sits between Emmett and me, while Riley grabs the seat on my other side, throwing his arm around my seat and giving me a huge grin.

"So, what'd you think of your first rugby match, Bella? You're hooked, right? Best sport you've ever seen and you don't know how you went 23 years without it in your life. On top of all that, you got to see the best team ever in action. Did you see my goal? It was a piece of piss getting around their winger. If I wasn't already on the All Blacks, too, I'd say we could've taken them tonight!" Riley exclaims.

I laugh at his antics and lean over to bump him with my shoulder. "A bit full of yourself don't you think? Perhaps maybe a little of the credit should go to Edward, who scored two tries… or Emmett, who got you the ball out of the scrum three times and Edward twice… or Jasper, who called for that risky play that helped win the game?"

I glance around the table as I praise his team members and notice Edward is the only one paying any attention to our conversation. Alice and Jas are wrapped up in their own bubble, and Emmett and Esme are going over the menu with the server. Edward's arms are folded over his chest as he leans back casually in his chair but I notice a quick twitch of his lips when I mention his tries.

"Aw man, babe. Don't be a wet blanket when I'm riding the high!" Riley grins and drops his arm off the back of my chair to rest on my shoulders. "I think we all know that a certain new trainer had a little something to do with it as well. I've never felt better physically and that's all on you." He grabs the beer our server has just delivered and raises it. "Cheers, Bella," he says before tipping it up and drinking the entire thing.

Riley catches me off guard with his playful affection. Emmett is usually the only guy on the team who shows me so much affection, but I remind myself we are in a social setting and it probably means nothing. I mutter out a thanks and drink the last couple sips of my drink. Before I have time to decide whether I want another one, our server is there with fresh beers for Riley and me. I motion to him before he leaves again and ask him to bring me water next time. I want to have fun tonight, but we've only been here 45 minutes, and I've already downed two beers. Puking all night does not equal fun for me. Edward overhears my request and apparently approves as he gives me a small smile before Emmett grabs his attention.

After about an hour I decide switching to water was a good idea as Riley is still handsy with me. I'm not sure of his intentions, so I do my best to remain politely friendly but distant. Riley is cute and all, but if I'm breaking my 'no dating the players' rule, it sure as hell is going to be for one Edward Cullen.

He crosses a line I'm not interested in crossing when he lightly brushes his lips across my neck before whispering, "Mmm… Bella. Has anyone ever told you how good you smell?"

I'm fighting with myself not to roll my eyes. His pick up line is somewhat lame. I briefly wonder if I'd feel the same way if the man on my other side were to whisper it in my ear, but quickly push that thought away. I'm getting ready to make an excuse to beg off and head home when there's a loud clang to my right. I almost break my neck turning toward Edward to see one of the appetizer plates upside down on the table, dipping sauces splayed out on the table, and, unfortunately on Edward's shirt.

"Oh my gosh. Are you okay? What happened?" I gasp. We haven't spoken much throughout the night; both of us busy chatting with other players.

Edward scowls and mutters, "Uh…yeah, no big. I guess my hand slipped and knocked the plate over."

"Your shirt is going to be ruined. What a shame… I love how it looks on you." I dab a napkin in my water and hand it to Edward. "Here, maybe you can keep it from staining if you get it fast enough."

Edward thanks me and takes the napkin to rub at the stain on his deep blue button up Kenzo shirt, but it does nothing except smear the red sauce. "I guess I'm going to head back to Eden Park so I can go home and get changed," he says as he starts to rise. I feel Riley tugging at my shoulder as he tries to regain my attention and quickly decide I'd rather be uncomfortable with Edward for a few minutes than trapped with Riley.

I shrug out of Riley's grip to stand next to Edward. "Do you mind if I walk with you? I'm ready to head out too. It's been a long day."

Edward looks surprised but nods his assent before turning to say goodbye to Emmett and Esme. I turn and do the same with the rest of our group. Riley grabs my hand and stands next to me, "Are you sure you want to go already, Bella? I thought we were having a good time."

"I am having fun, Riley, but I'm tired and Edward is leaving now and I'd just really rather not walk back by myself. I know this is basically the safest place in the world but I'm stuck in my American roots. It doesn't feel right walking around alone in a big city without my .22 pistol in my purse!" I joke with him.

His eyes widen at my statement and I have to laugh. "I'm only kidding! Stay and have fun. I'll see you Monday in class. You better behave the rest of the weekend. I'm not going to ease up just because you won your first game."

Riley grins and gives me a little salute before bending down and lightly kissing my cheek. I look down at the ground, not sure what my eyes would convey if I looked into his, and turn around only to run smack dab into Edward's chest. His expression is unreadable as I take a tiny step back. Edward and Riley do their secret team hand shake, which is really just a regular hand shake with a funny flip at the end but I think it's adorable. "Take care of our girl, mate," Riley tells Edward.

Edward's eyes flicker down to me. "Will do," he says and abruptly turns to walk out into the main dining area. I scurry after him and catch up immediately. He is swarmed with fans as soon as he takes a step out of our private room. This is why The Kingslander is so good to the players when they come after a game. I'm sure their business skyrockets on game days when patrons know they have a pretty good chance of meeting one or more members of the city's rugby team.

Edward is gracious and takes time to sign several autographs, though I can tell he really just wants to leave. He's almost to the door when a group of girls surround him and ask to take pictures with him. I watch patiently as he poses and signs for them as well. I roll my eyes when I hear them proposition him. Edward politely declines but two other girls chime in. They are relentless and I'm really ready to go home so I walk up to him and grab his hand.

"Ready to go home, sweetie?" I ask Edward, but turn my eyes to the women fawning over him.

Edward, clearly relieved, tugs me a little closer and wraps his arm around my waist. "Sure am. It was nice meeting you, ladies. Thanks for your support." He turns us around and we head out the door, but not before hearing one of the girls mutter, "Bitch." I wrap my arm around his waist, laying my hand on his upper back and curling all of my fingers down except for my middle one, effectively flipping them off. I'm sure they didn't see it but I felt better regardless.

As we walk out the door Edward leans down to my ear and asks, "Did you just give them the finger? I am shocked, Bella Swan. Here I thought you were so good and innocent."

I laugh and pinch his non-existent love handle. "Shush, you. I never said I was innocent or good. They had no right to call me a bitch. You were clearly uncomfortable, and it's not my fault they couldn't take a hint."

We clear out of the main crowd gathered in front of the bar, and to my surprise, Edward does not drop his arm from my waist, so I leave mine around his and lean into his warmth. It's the middle of summer here in February, but there's a slight chill in the night air. Or maybe I'm imagining it to stay close to Edward. He's just the perfect height for me to rest my head directly on the outside curve of his shoulder. I can feel his fingertips lightly grazing the small line of bare skin between the top of my shorts and my shirt.

We walk like that in contented silence until we get back to the stadium where our cars are still parked. Edward swipes his key fob so we can get inside.

"I have a spare shirt in my office if you want to change before you go home," I tell him. I'm not sure how long our little tryst is going to last, and I'm not quite willing to let him go yet. I'm ready to tell him I want more, but this isn't exactly the setting I'd imagined. Maybe I can suggest we meet for lunch tomorrow and go from there.

"Sure. That'll be great," he replies. We walk toward my office and I feel Edward's gaze on me so I tilt my head and look up into his gorgeous face. He clears his throat before asking, "This is kind of awkward but… is there something going on with you and Riley?"

He must misinterpret the shock that registers on my face because he pulls away from me completely and continues, "I mean, it's fine by me, obviously, if there is. It's not like I have a say in the matter. I just thought you'd said no to me because of the whole trainer issue and wanted to let you know you can just tell me the truth. If you're not interested, it's fine, just don't feel like you have to lie."

We've reached my office and Edward is unbuttoning his shirt as he rambles on about me and _Riley_? I still his hands with mine just as he gets the last button undone. "There's nothing between Riley and me. I'm not sure if _he_ knows that. Tonight was the first night he's ever really shown any kind of interest in me, but that's the reason I wanted to leave. I didn't want to lead Riley on, but I didn't think that was the appropriate time to get into that conversation."

Edward's eyes look up and find mine. He looks relieved but still slightly disappointed. "Oh, okay. Well, that's good I guess. If I can't have you, I'm glad he can't either… nor anyone else on the team so don't go changing your no dating policy anytime soon, okay? I'm not sure I could take it," he grins.

I want to swoon at his words. They are so incredibly sweet, and I can't believe that he's actually saying them to me. I look down at the ground and take a deep breath, "Actually, I'm thinking of maybe breaking those rules, anyway. The girls may have convinced me I'm being a bit unreasonable since I've already gotten in the team's good graces. So, really I wanted to get away from Riley because I knew it wasn't fair to start something up with him when I already have feelings for someone else."

Edward inhales sharply and his eyes light up.

"Oh, yeah?"

I look up into his face, which holds a hint of a smile, and can't stop my own lips from curling up. "Yeah," I reply.

He hooks his index finger into the waistband of my shorts and pulls me closer to him. I trail my hands up his chest and rest them on his well-defined biceps as he wraps his arms around my waist in an intimate embrace. "Bella… I'm feeling pretty good about my next assumption, but for the sake of me not making an arse out of myself with you… again… can you please let me know who that person might be?"

I love seeing the twinkle in his eyes. "Well, it's someone you know very well. I was actually hoping you could put in a good word for me, and let him know I'm tired of staying away from him. If he wants me… he can come and get me."

"Oh, I doubt that last part will be a problem," he practically guffaws. "I'm pretty sure he'd take you across this desk right now if you'd let him."

"Mmm… sounds perfect," I moan out, closing my eyes and letting a small smile form on my lips. "So, if you could just go find Emmett and put in a good word for me, and then distract Rose with your fine ass, I'll get right on that with him."

I open my eyes in time to see Edward's face morph from utter shock to pure elation. "You little tease!" he grins down at me. "You're in for it now. I hope you were serious about that desk sex, darlin'."

Edward grips me by the hips and pushes me past my desk against the wall as his lips finally claim mine again. He wraps one hand around my neck, his thumb grazing along my cheekbone and digs into the flesh of my ass with the other. I grab his open shirt so I can feel his chest against mine before sliding my hands up and around his neck. My fingers automatically reach for his beautiful, soft hair, and I grab a handful of it while I return his hard kiss.

This is not the sweet, tender kiss Edward gave me three weeks ago after my first night out with the team. No, this kiss is hard, fast, and needy… but still equally perfect. Edward wastes no time dipping his tongue into my mouth. I can feel his teeth clang against mine as he explores my mouth with his tongue. He sucks my bottom lip into his mouth and lightly clamps down on it with his teeth before pulling back slightly and letting go. "God, Bella. Don't ever make me wait that long to kiss you again," he says before diving back in.

His left hand slowly travels down my neck and between my breasts before he rubs the back of his knuckles back and forth, almost absentmindedly, across my stomach. As I shiver and drop my hands to his broad back and grip his shoulders, I realize nothing this man does is absentminded. He knows exactly what every touch does to me.

I slip my hands beneath his shirt and push it off his shoulders. Edward releases my lips and rests his forehead against mine. He moves both hands back to my hips, squeezing while pushing his pelvis against mine and grinding his hard length against me.

"You better stop me now if you don't want this to go any further. I've kept my distance from you for three weeks. I won't be able to stop myself once I finally touch you," Edward practically growls at me.

I grip the sides of his undershirt and do my best to pull him closer to me. "God, no…please don't stop. I want you," I breathe out, then tilt my mouth up to lick the scruff beneath his chin. My cheek grazes his as I nip my way up his neck, the rough texture feeling strangely good against my face. A low moan emanates from within Edward as he tips his head to give me more access to his throat.

"I've wanted you since the very first moment I saw you in the car park. You were so hot. Your back…" _kiss_… "your fucktastic hair…" _lick_… "your face…" _bite, kiss_… "and then, when you opened your mouth…" _nibble_… "and I heard your voice for the first time, I thought I would have to change my panties before I met with Jasper." I whisper the last part in his ear and pull it between my teeth before shifting to look in his eyes.

Edward spins me around and backs me up against my desk, shoving my chair out of the way. He grips my hips even harder with his large hands and lifts me onto my desk. I expect him to continue kissing me, but instead he places his forehead against mine and looks into my eyes. "Are you sure, Bella? A hard desk isn't exactly the most romantic place for our first time."

"Our first time, huh? You expect a repeat then?" I tease him. His eyes widen slightly until he realizes I'm joking, and he gives me his adorable smile.

"I can pretty much guarantee it."

"Then we have all the time in the world for romantic. I've had romantic. I want you…" I wind my fingers up through his hair and pull his face down to mine, kissing him lightly before adding, "Now."

Edward moans into my mouth and deepens our kiss. He wiggles the knot out of my shirt and slides both hands up my sides to lift my shirt over my head, tossing it to the side.

The look in his eyes is sinful… lust the most prominent emotion staring back at me as I return the favor and tug off his shirt. I splay my fingers out on his hard chest just to feel his pecs. My job requires a good deal of touching, but it doesn't come close to feeling this skin-on-skin contact.

Edward's hands return to gently rubbing back and forth over my bare stomach and the feathery light touch is almost too much to handle. I reach behind me and unhook my bra, quickly sliding it down my arms and toss it in the general direction of the pile of clothes strewn about my office. I briefly hope we locked the door, but as Edward's warm mouth sucks my right nipple in, I can't find it in me to care enough to check.

My fingers find their way back into Edward's thick hair before moving down his neck and caressing his strong back. I'm desperate to get my lips on it so I can lick and kiss every inch of his toned, sculpted muscles and smile at the idea that we will have time for that another day.

I gasp as cool air hits my nipple when Edward pops his mouth off it and moves to suck my left one in his mouth. His hands never stop moving around my stomach, sides, and back, leaving goose bumps in their wake. He's driving me wild, and I realize I'm just sitting here clinging to him for dear life. I move my right hand down to his perfect six-pack abs. I feel the beginnings of his happy trail right before I reach the button closure of his jeans.

He pulls back slightly to stop me from unbuttoning him, causing me to whimper. My distress is unfounded as he starts to fiddle with the clasp on my shorts. While kissing my lips he mumbles, "Uh-uh. You first. Lift up." He starts tugging on my shorts, hooking my panties in his fingers at the last minute to pull everything off at once.

"I promise this is going to be so good. Just tell me what you want, and I'll make it happen." He's kissing his way down my neck and running his hands back up my legs toward my center. "Your skin is so smooth, I could touch you all day and never grow tired of it."

When his thumbs reach my lips he tentatively slides his right thumb in between them, groaning when he finds me slick and ready for him. With no further hesitation, he moves his thumb up until he finds my clit and starts circling around and around, back and forth, and up and down. He pulls his lips away from my chest to look down and I realize no man has ever stared at me so intensely right there. But instead of making me uncomfortable as I would have imagined, it's incredibly hot seeing the desire in his eyes.

Especially when his tongue flicks out to lick his lips.

Edward's eyes glance back up to mine as he sinks two fingers inside me and starts pumping in and out.

"Oh my God, that feels good," I moan out, my eyes fluttering closed. One arm is wrapped around Edward's neck while the other is gripping the desk for support, as Edward seems to be on a personal mission to memorize the inside of my pussy with his fingers.

Then, he finds the rough patch of skin that causes my eyes to pop wide open and, "Holy FUCK that's it," to tumble out of my mouth. When Edward doubles his efforts on my clit, alternating between rubbing and tapping my G-spot, I'm so close to tipping over the edge.

The sensation creeping throughout my body is similar to what I've felt before, but ten times more powerful. I can't even stop myself from practically screaming, "Don't stop, don't stop, don'tstopdontstopdon'tSTOP!"

My fingernails dig into Edward's shoulder as my entire body trembles, and I let go and ride out the waves of pleasure traveling through my body. It's so intense, I'm half mumbling, half moaning incoherent curses, and I barely register when Edward mutters, "Fucking hell, Bella. Just wait until it's my cock inside of you."

Suddenly Edward's lips are back on mine, and I can feel his erection against my pussy. He grabs my hand and places it on his cock, his fiery jade eyes telling me exactly how he likes it as I stroke his thick dick. He tears open the condom wrapper, and I glance down at my hand wrapped around his cock, gasping at the sight. Edward chuckles before sheathing himself in the condom and wrapping my arms around his neck, "You better hold on, baby."

Without further preamble, Edward wraps his large hands around my hips and sinks himself inside me. When his hips meet mine, I lift my legs and wrap them around his waist, pulling him in deeper. We still for a moment, wrapped in each other's embrace, as he squeezes my ass tightly.

"Damn, you feel… _fucking_… incredible, Bella," Edward closes his eyes and rests his forehead against mine again. It's quickly becoming my favorite move of his. Edward's eyes pop open and I'm lost in a sea of green when he swiftly pulls out and slams back into me again.

"Oh, God" I moan out, closing my eyes momentarily while Edward continues to thrust into me roughly. My eyes open again to find Edward still looking at my face. He settles inside me and brings his hand around to rub small circles around my clit, never taking his eyes off of mine as he begins to slowly pump in and out of my pussy again. I find the intensity of his gaze incredibly erotic and it makes me moan louder.

"Do you like it like that, Bella?" he asks as he finally drops his face into the crook of my neck. "Do you want me slow and deep while I play with your pretty little clit?"

"Uuuugghhhh… Yeeeess, Edward… please," I beg him.

He speeds up his pace, thrusting into me faster as he pushes me back gently, forcing me to drop down onto my elbows. "Or do you want it like this?" He grabs my legs and pushes them up and over his shoulders, supporting my calves with his hands, folding me into a pretzel and hitting me at an entirely new angle. "Aaahhh…. Fucking hell, Bella. Your pussy feels amazing wrapped around my dick. Fuck, baby."

Edward picks up his pace again, slamming into me over and over again, both of us moaning in ecstasy. I feel the beginnings of another orgasm start to rumble through my body. I can tell Edward is close, so I slide my fingers between my legs and start rubbing my clit furiously.

"That's it, baby. Touch yourself for me. That's so fucking hot. I'll never get enough of you, Bella. You're mine now," Edward rasps out. At the words "mine now", combined with my frantic fingers and the tip of his cock hitting me just so, my body erupts into thousands of shivers and trembles. The walls of my pussy clamp down around his cock, and this orgasm feels ten times more powerful with his cock buried deep inside me.

"AAAAaaahhhhhh…. Fuuuuck MEEEE!" I scream out, laying back fully on the desk and wrapping my arm around Edward's neck to pull him close to me, needing to feel his skin pressed against mine.

"Shit, baby," Edward groans out as he continues to pump into me. "Gaahhh…. Oh my fuuck." He thrusts once… twice… three more times before stilling. His face is once again buried in the crook of my neck. His arms slither beneath my back and we lay on the desk for several minutes, wrapped in each other's arms until I hear him chuckle lightly into my neck.

He lifts his face and kisses the tip of my nose, "Practically the entire team has been talking about bonking you in this office. I can't wait to tackle you on the field Monday so everyone knows you're mine."

* * *

**A/N: HAPPY BIRTHDAY, WHITI! I probably didn't do your country or sport justice, but I tried. I hope you loved it as much as I love you… but then again, that's impossible.**

**Massive thanks to bornonhalloween and robsmyyummy cabanaboy for pre-reading/betaing. They made it way better. Like… wayyy better. Love you ladies.**

**On a side note… I'm continuing this into a full length fic… though it will probably be somewhat short. I fell in love with these characters and they just won't shut up. So we are going back in time to when Bella arrives in NZ! I have a couple chapters written but it'll be a week or two before I start a regular posting schedule and hopefully my Kiwi dialogue will improve because I plan on begging Whiti to fix it up for me! So put me on alert if you want to know more about these two.**

**KIWI DICTIONARY: (You won't need this going forward as all Kiwi phrases will be explained within the chapters… but you learn them as Bella does and she already knows these.)**

**Try – To score in rugby by running the ball into the 'endzone' - worth five points**

**Bonking – have sex, shag**

**Piss up – social gathering with alcohol**

**Pissed - drunk**

**Rellies – relatives**

**Wop-wops – out of the way location**

**Give your ferret a run – have sex with**

**Wet blanket – spoil sport**


	2. Chapter 1 - This Side of the World

**A/N: Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed. I finally understand what authors mean when they say how exciting it is to get each one. You guys are awesome. Super long A/N at the bottom. Enjoy!**

**Dedication: To a group of ladies I hold very dear to my heart… you know who you are.**

**Disclaimer: These characters belong to Stephanie Meyer. I'm grateful she lets us all play with them.**

* * *

**THREE WEEKS EARLIER**

I take a deep breath after turning off my car in the parking lot of Eden Park, New Zealand's largest and most hallowed rugby stadium and home of the Blues – also known as my new employer.

I close my eyes and give myself a pep talk. I'm still not used to driving on the left side of the road and I need to calm my nerves before going inside.

_I can do this._

_I'm totally qualified._

_It doesn't matter that I know jack shit about rugby, I'm an expert in Pilates._

_They wouldn't have hired me if they didn't think I was qualified._

_I can so totally do this._

Even though I've only been in Auckland six days, I've fantasized about moving here for months. When the position for Pilates Trainer was offered to me, it took me less than a day to think it over before accepting. Within two weeks, I'd packed up everything I own and moved to the other side of the world, determined to escape my sad, lonely past.

My life had been turned upside down eight months prior when my fiancé decided he no longer wanted me. I was devastated and spent the following months just trying to survive. Simply going through the motions... wake up, go to work, come home, go to sleep.

Repeat.

I couldn't even entertain the thought of meeting someone else, and I was sure I'd spend the rest of my days alone. I'd be the old lady at the end of the street with seventeen cats.

And I hate cats.

Jake had been my entire world. We met my second day of college when my car broke down and I had to call a mechanic to tow me to safety. Jake showed up fifteen minutes later and became my knight in shining armor. He traded a first date in lieu of payment for fixing my car, and from then on we were inseparable.

On top of being outgoing, good looking, and funny, Jake came with a village of friends. I'd been so nervous about meeting new people; I couldn't believe my luck when they quickly accepted me into their pack. It was nearly impossible to find someone who didn't love Jake, and I thought I was the luckiest person in the world to be able to call him mine.

When Jake walked away, I lost everyone in the world who meant something to me. The only person left in my life was with my dad, and he was completely clueless about anything regarding the life of a newly graduated, broken-hearted young woman. Even on a good day our relationship was strained at best.

What helped most those first months after our breakup was a group of ladies I'd become friends with through Facebook. It still boggles my mind how I came to care so much about people I'd never met in person. I didn't even know most of their real names. And it all started over a common love of a book series. You know the one I'm talking about... the one with the hot sparkly vampire who falls completely and irrevocably in love for life with the nobody-special girl next door. Yet, he wants nothing more than to spend the rest of forever doting on her. If only I could find a love that powerful.

_Sigh._

I suppose hiding behind a computer, knowing I'd never run into one of these ladies at the supermarket, offered enough anonymity that we shared things with each other we wouldn't share with people in our everyday lives. These girls knew things about me I'd barely admitted to myself, and it bonded us in a way I never would have expected. When I thought things would never ever be good again, they were my ray of sunshine.

Some days it was a heart left on my wall, others a private message listing all the reasons they thought I was awesome. Once they even dedicated an entire day of posting naughty pictures to me. Who wouldn't be cheered up by that? Suffice it to say, these ladies, who lived all over the world, were closer to my heart than the people I interacted with daily.

So when my Kiwi friend, Alice, made an offhand comment about moving to Auckland to rid myself of all things Jake, I immediately started to Google New Zealand. You know… just for fun. I realized I couldn't even afford to visit there, much less move there, after finding out the cost of the flight alone was more than two months' rent. But not until after I'd already fallen in love with the idea of glacier hiking, sea kayaking, and exploring endless beaches, so I added visiting there one day to my bucket list.

I eventually started putting myself back together from the devastated mess Jake left me. My job as a Pilates instructor at a local gym ensured I interacted with people every day, but I still kept to myself and never socialized outside of work. I did maintain a casual friendship with a few of my regular students, though it never went outside of the gym.

Even if New Zealand wasn't an option, I knew I wasn't meant to stay in D.C., either. The city held too many bad memories for me to feel like I could successfully plant roots there and be happy. I sent my resume out all over the country, not really caring where I ended up.

I was just looking for a fresh start.

Unfortunately, in the strained economy, there were very few establishments looking for Pilates instructors, and even fewer who wanted one fresh out of college. After five months without a single response, I was stunned when my friend Alice messaged me with the offer of a lifetime.

So here I am. Still sitting in the parking lot, oh excuse me… here it's called the "car park," trying to work up the nerve to walk in and actually _start_ my new job as the Pilates trainer for the Blues.

What the hell was I thinking when I agreed to this? I know absolutely nothing about rugby! I researched it enough to learn that there are two different kinds of rugby… because that's not confusing at all, the ball is often thrown under a huge pack of guys called a scrum, and the positions are broken down into forwards - the big guys, and backs - the fast guys. At least I think.

The fact that I can barely remember three simple facts about the game sends my stomach into flutters and flips. It also makes me wish I hadn't stopped learning about rugby the day I saw my first scrum – all those guys reaching through the legs of the players in front of them to grab their junk and hold their position. After all the pictures one of my friends posted from the _Dieux du Stade_, a nude calendar of France's rugby team, my mind went straight to the gutter and it was just too hard to focus on the actual game.

Shaking my head, I close my eyes and take one more deep breath before popping open the trunk, sorry… _the boot_, to unload my supplies. I continue my internal pep talk, careful not to actually move my lips just in case there are cameras outside. They've already seen me sitting here for fifteen minutes looking terrified, no reason to add to the evidence their newest employee is most likely crazy.

I don't have much stuff but I'm determined to get it inside in one trip, so I'm struggling a little when a car pulls in a few spaces down from mine. My heart rate picks up a little as I'd hoped to be inside before any of the players arrived. I wanted to have enough time to acclimate myself to my office and get a lay of the land.

I finally situate the box in my arms comfortably after looping two duffels over my shoulder. If I weren't so stubborn, I'd leave the box here and come back for it, but suddenly it seems like making two trips is equivalent of failure, and I refuse to let that be my first act in my new job.

I peek to my left as I struggle to figure out how to close the damn boot without dropping all of my stuff and see two men clamber out of the car. I assume they are players as they are wearing Blue tees and mesh shorts. The bigger guy is complaining about getting to practice sixty minutes early, and my mouth waters a little hearing his accent. I can only hope its ability to turn me to mush wanes the longer I'm here or the entire team will see me drooling all over myself while I teach them the finer points of Pilates and how it can improve their game. I've been here a few days, but I've been so busy trying to find a place to live and file all the appropriate paperwork, I've spoken to very few people.

I've been staying with Alice and her husband, Jasper, also known as my new boss and coach of the Blues, so most of my conversations have been with Alice, who is amazing, by the way. I was so nervous when I stepped off the plane to meet her for the first time. Of course, I was incredibly excited, too, but meeting someone in person for the first time after you've formed secret-spilling friendship can be nerve wracking! My fears were pointless, though. Alice and I sat down that night with a bottle of Merlot and talked and laughed until we cried.

I pop out of my nostalgia when I hear the smaller man speak, and that's when I know I'm in danger of a lot more than my mouth becoming wet. His voice is deep, slightly gravelly like he's just woken up, but still warm and rich, forcing me to turn and stare with my mouth open.

"You're stupid as a two-Bob watch if you're still surprised I want to get to practice early, Em. It's never going to change as long as we're playing for the All Blacks. Might as well get used to it, mate."

I'm certain the two men hear me gasp as I take in the gorgeousness before me. Both men are hot. No question about that. But the smaller of the two could be my own personal flesh-carved _David_. He's tall and lean, with well-toned muscles that are defined, but not enormous. I can just make out the lines of his back muscles through his tight shirt, broadcasting his strength to the world.

When he turns and I see his face… oh my. It's absolute perfection.

His strong jawline frames the sexiest face and most beautiful rainforest-green eyes I've ever seen. I want to melt into them and tell him all my secrets. When his lips form into a crooked smile and his hand rakes through the unruly mop of gorgeous bronze hair, I realize the situation in my panties is only getting worse.

I timidly return his smile as the larger man laughs, forcing my eyes to break away from the intense laser beams currently shooting my way. He's not just larger… this man is a bear! I quickly, and hopefully accurately, assume he is a forward on the team. His face is lit up in a brilliant smile, and I can feel my eyes crinkle as my smile widens and pushes my cheeks up to meet them. While his size alone should be very intimidating, he has the friendliest face I've ever laid eyes on, instantly making me feel at ease. His short, dark hair is in disarray but it doesn't quite scream 'Sex Hair' like his friend's does.

"Another one bites the dust, huh, Eddie boy? At least she's a right crumpet this time."

"Naff off, Em. And stop calling me 'Eddie boy.'"

Ummm…. What? I didn't quite catch that.

"Ahh… don't pack a sad this early, _Edward_. Let's help the lady so you can get inside and start your workout." The bear of a man turns his attention toward me, "Hey, there! My name's Emmett, this is my best mate, Edward. Let me grab our bags and Edward'll help you carry your belongings." Emmett closes the door to his car as Edward does the same and makes his way toward me. I finally snap out of my sexiness-overload stupor and manage to find my voice and introduce myself.

"Thank you. It's nice to meet you. I'm Bella. I think I actually have everything, but if you could shut the trunk on my car, I'd really appreciate it."

Both men register slight shock on their faces. I mentally cross my fingers and hope Edward finds my American accent as sexy as I find his. Though, I realize it's highly unlikely.

"Well I'm dead chuffed! An American crumpet at that, Edward!" Emmett exclaims, merrily. "What are you doing on our side of the world, Bella? And if you plan on staying very long you may want to get used to calling it a boot. "

My face falls immediately at already forgetting the Kiwi lingo. Even though I've been studying common Kiwi phrases, it only took thirty seconds with these two and it's clear I can't access my new Kiwipedia when half my brain cells are taken up.

Edward takes pity on me and offers me another smile. He ignores my insistence that I'm okay and grabs the box out of my hands. His fingers brush against mine and leave a warm, tingly sensation that reaches every part of my body. "Don't listen to him. He's two sammies short of a picnic on a good day. Want me to take your bags as well, Bella?"

I stare at his face probably a moment too long and blink before responding, "No, thanks, I got it. I appreciate the help but I can carry it myself now that the boot," I glance at Emmett whose grin gets impossibly bigger, "is closed. I really appreciate the offer, though."

I step toward Edward to retrieve my box, but he twists away from me giving me another glimpse of his toned back. I quickly dart my eyes back to his amused face as he turns to face me again. "I can't have that. What kind of welcome would that be to our country? Where are you taking all of this stuff, anyway?"

"Oh, ummm… that's actually a good question," I hedge. Emmett joins us and we start walking toward the entrance of the stadium. "I guess I need to start out in Jasper Whitlock's office so he can show me where to go. I don't suppose one of you would help me find that, please? He said I couldn't miss it though so if you need to be somewhere..."

"None of that, Bella," Emmett pipes in. "Coach's office is right on our way. We'll be happy to drop you off there. But you never answered my question. What are you doing on our side of the world?"

I'm not really sure how much the team knows about my job here. From what I can gather, the previous Pilates trainer didn't work out so well. The guys on the team weren't exactly excited about being forced to take the classes to begin with, and the instructor wasn't very good. Alice was pretty vague on the details, but it must have been bad if they couldn't find another trainer in all of New Zealand to take her place.

I'm kidding... a little.

I know Jasper had to pull a few strings to get me the job solely on the recommendation of his wife's late-night banter with a fanfiction-obsessed Facebook friend on the other side of the globe, which makes me all the more appreciative for this opportunity. I feel a little sick again at the thought of failing.

I figure the guys will learn soon enough, seeing as how Jasper said he'd introduce me to the team today. "Actually, I'm the new Pilates trainer, so I guess I'll get to work with you guys in a couple of days," I offer.

Edward stops dead in his tracks and looks me up and down, "You're the new Pilates trainer?"

Since he has my belongings, I have no choice but to stop as well. I nod my head once before saying, "Yes. Do you have a problem with that?"

I can feel myself getting a little defensive. While I know very little about rugby, I know a great deal about how beneficial Pilates is for athletes... and how those athletes rarely put any stock in the practice. Three of my four years in college, I interned with our football team, teaching the players the fundamentals of Pilates and how it can help prevent injuries and improve their game. I learned the ins and outs of football during that time, and I have no doubt that experience is what gave Jas the confidence he needed to push to hire me.

Especially considering my team went from a losing record to two games shy of undefeated my final year. Naturally, there were other factors involved in their success, too, but I like to think a small part of it was due to my training.

Emmett's eyebrows popped to the top of his head and his ever-present smile grew a little more again, while Edward had the grace to look a bit sheepish and shake his head, "No, of course not. I'm just a little surprised. You're just very different from our last trainer."

We reach the front doors and Emmett is full on chuckling as he opens one for Edward and me to pass through and says, "This is going to be interesting. I hope you have a strong backbone or the boys on the team will eat you alive… in more ways than one!"

Edward rolls his eyes but I smile from ear to ear as I realize I can use a Kiwi phrase I learned. "Don't worry about little ol' me, Emmett. I'm not going to pike out anytime soon. Besides, it's not like I have anywhere else to go on this tiny island."

This time it's Edward laughing and the sound wakes up the butterflies in my stomach again. The feeling is so new and foreign to me, but surprisingly not completely unwelcome. I've drooled over a countless number of guys since Jake and I broke up, but they were all pictures of random strangers I knew I would never meet. It's mindboggling that this insanely attractive man, whose laugh makes my stomach do somersaults, is REAL and standing right next to me.

"Guess she told you, mate," Edward quips to Emmett. "And don't worry about the guys on the team, Bella. I'll make sure they treat you like a lady."

The guys are slowing down a bit and I assume Jasper's office is coming up, but I grab Edward's arm to stop him before we walk in. "Please don't do that. After spending three years with a bunch of football players back home, I've found the best thing for me to do is handle things myself." I realize I'm still gripping his arm and abruptly let go. "I'm sorry. It's a very considerate offer though."

Emmett wraps his arm around my shoulders and starts moving us toward Jasper's office while turning to look at Edward, "Guess she told _you_, mate! Let's get this girl to her new boss! I want to hear more about this football team. Is this our football or your football? Because if it's your football you better start calling it American football, or better yet gridiron. Otherwise you'll have people thinking you trained Donovan."

"Right… Gridiron. Another term to add to my Kiwipedia," I deadpan.

"Kiwi_what_?" Edward questions.

"Nothing," I mutter, feeling my face flush.

Jasper is rising from behind his desk as we walk in his office and saves me from having to explain my affinity for made up words. "Hey, Bella… I see you've met Emmett and Edward. It should be noted that you need to ignore most of what Emmett says. He's a bit of a dag."

Emmett's eyes light up as he looks at me and says, "Guilty. But everything I've said so far today is true! And once the boys find out she actually knows something about a real sport, they're going to be all over her."

This time it's Jasper's eyebrows that reach for the sky as I all but drop the bags I'm carrying in the first chair I see. Edward creeps in behind me and sets my box on Jasper's desk while I shoot daggers at Emmett. "Excuse me? Are you implying that Pilates is not a real sport?"

For the first time since meeting him, Emmett's grin melts off his face. He starts to shake his head and opens his mouth to respond but I cut him off. "I'll have you know I helped my college football team make their first bowl game in over ten years by training them to strengthen their core muscles. It not only teaches the body how to be more efficient and balanced, but improves flexibility so you big oafs won't get injured so easily while you're out there chasing a ball around and grabbing each other's junk on the field."

Emmett actually looks a little scared and Edward's face is filled with glee. His green eyes are dancing as he claps Emmett on the back. "Looks like she was right. She'll have no problem taking care of herself around the team. Let's go, mate. We have work to do." Edward looks directly in my eyes and offers me his panty dropping smile, "Trust me when I say this, Bella, it was a pleasure meeting you today. Good luck… with everything."

Emmett's grin returns and he holds a closed fist out to me. I do my best to hold my ire but it's hard when his smile is so infectious. I fist bump him and he winks at me as he turns to follow Edward out. "Bye, Bellaboo! See you in the locker room!"

I close the door as they walk out but can still hear Emmett's booming voice, "Forget crumpet, mate. She's a Sheila. Shei – la!"

My face wrinkles in confusion as I hear Edward's much softer voice respond, "You don't have to tell me, man. Now stop pretending you're Aussie and hurry. We've already lost fifteen minutes of weight time."

I turn to Jasper who's studying me with an amused expression on his face.

"Jasper," I begin, slowly. "I just spent ten minutes with those two and half of what they said went right over my head. Care to explain why I understand you and Alice but nothing from them? What the hell is a crumpet? And why did Emmett just call me Sheila?"

Jasper looks a bit sheepish and answers, "Well, Ali and I may have laid off some of the Kiwi phrases the past few days hoping it would make you feel a bit more at home. Although, in hindsight, maybe that wasn't the best idea."

"Uhh… ya think?" is my clever reply. But I quickly wipe the incredulous look off my face and apologize. Jasper is my boss after all. I don't want to be disrespectful, but after living with him and Alice for the past week I already feel entirely comfortable in his presence. He seems to exude some magical calming power over everyone that comes within a ten-foot radius. Though, I have a feeling he's able to rile his boys when needed, as well. "Sorry, Jasper. I guess I'm just feeling a little overwhelmed at the moment."

"Course you are. Don't worry about it." Jasper replies, straightening some papers on his desk. "You ready to check out your new office?"

"I sure am. As soon as you tell me if you intentionally avoided my question about who Sheila is. Was she the previous Pilates instructor? Oh gosh, she was a cow wasn't she?"

"Uhh… no, Bella. The previous Pilates instructor was definitely NOT a Sheila. I think you should ask Em or Edward about that. Anyone but me really, I'm staying out of that."

I give him a confused look but nod my agreement so he continues, "Now let's drop your box in your new office, and I'll show you where you're going to be teaching. I was hoping to show you the whole place today, but something came up so it'll have to wait. Though, judging from what I just saw, I imagine any one of the boys would be willing to stay after practice and give you the tiki tour of the place."

I feel myself starting to blush as I make a mental note to Google 'tiki tour'. Even if I'm not 100% sure what that phrase means, I definitely understand what Jasper just implied. I ask myself for the thousandth time if I'm ready for this and realize with all my belongings 8000 miles from home, it's not exactly a convenient time to rethink my career strategy.

"Well, let's get started then," I say, sounding much braver than I feel.

* * *

**A/N: I promise they won't all be this long, but it's important.**

**First, I'm contributing a O/S to the SU4K compilation, Soul Mates per K's request. Please consider donating to this cause to help aid funding for cancer research. All proceeds go to Stand Up To Cancer in Katalina's honor. You can read more about her story at katalina . fandomcause . info/. While there, you can also leave her a message of support. She's an amazing woman who's clearly touched so many people in our fandom.**

**Second, big fat thank you to my helpers… bornonhalloween, robsmyyummy cabanaboy, and whiti shades. You ladies rock hard and make my words better. Thanks so much. Xoxoxo**

**Third, I once told someone I was going to write a fic just so I could pimp my favorite authors in each chapter. I'm not sure she believed me, but she should have! So today… I'm telling you to go read everything bornonhalloween ever wrote. Right now. She's an amazing writer. There's a reason I hitched onto her pumpkin shell and constantly beg her for advice. You won't regret it.**

**Reviews get love!**

**See you next Thursday!**


	3. Chapter 2 - This I Can Do

**Disclaimer: These characters belong to Stephanie Meyer. I just like playing with them.**

* * *

As it turns out, I never get the chance to see if any of the players are willing to give me a full tour of the stadium because Esme Cullen is waiting for Jasper and me in my office. While her official title may be "Board Contact," it quickly becomes apparent that Esme is the go-to person for anything and everything involving the team. She shoos Jasper away and even helps me unpack my belongings as she gives me the rundown on what the rest of my week will be like. I'll be spending a lot of time with her over the next two days, which eases some of my anxiety the more I get to know her.

Esme is warm, friendly, and obviously holds a great deal of personal affection for the guys on the team. It's almost as if she is "Team Mom" and has taken each player in as her own.

I quickly understand she's spending so much time with me to feel me out and see how I'll interact with her guys in lieu of an interview. Still, I'm glad for her company, and her no-nonsense attitude when it comes to how little I know about rugby is a relief.

"Don't be silly, Bella," she gently chides me. "I would never have let someone through those doors that I thought couldn't handle the job after our last Pilates trainer. Now, _that girl_ was a nut. She was more into ogling the players than improving their rugby skills. She came in spouting fact after fact about our players but knew absolutely nothing about Pilates! She was just some crazy fan girl trying to get close to my boys."

I shake my head in disbelief, but I'm relieved to find that's all there was to the mystery of my predecessor. We've just finished the tour of Eden Park, ending with the VIP Lounge on Level 5. The stadium layout is similar to many standard football or baseball stadiums in America from what I can tell, and I doubt I'll often venture much higher than Level 2 where the players' gym and my Pilates room are located.

Esme stops and places a hand on my arm. "Bella, I'm not going to lie. It's going to be a tough start for you. This is the first year we added Pilates to our players' training routine. The boys weren't thrilled with the idea to begin with, but they're serious athletes who want to win so they were willing to give it a try. Tanya pretty much ruined any respect they had for it. Our goal this time around was to find someone who would teach the guys the correct exercises, but also make sure they connect how doing these exercises can help prevent injury and make them better players. So while you may not know a lot about super rugby yet, I've no doubt from your past history with your gridiron team, you'll learn that in time, though I do encourage you to do so quickly; the sooner those guys realize you're the real deal, the easier your life will become."

"Thanks for that, Esme, and don't worry. I don't plan on letting you down after everyone here took a chance on me and gave me this amazing opportunity," I reply, hoping I'll be able to live up to those words.

oOoOoOo

After the tour, Esme and I have lunch together where she tells me a little about each member of the team. I know she doesn't expect me to remember everyone's name yet, but I do my best to remember which ones she thinks will give me the most attitude and which ones are more prone to injury.

I'm leafing through the players' profiles as she talks and when we reach Emmett, a smile immediately spreads on my face. "I've already had the pleasure of meeting Emmett McCarty," I say, holding up his sheet.

Esme laughs as she takes a sip of her water. "Pleasure is a good word to describe Em. Don't tell the rest of the team, and definitely don't tell him, but he's one of my favorites—not that he doesn't already know, but I'd never admit it out loud. How did you meet him already?"

"They arrived in the car park this morning as I was trying to bring my supplies in. He and Edward helped me carry my stuff to Jasper's office," I explain.

"Oh, so you met my Edward, too?" Esme's face brightens considerably and my heart drops. Of course this man is already taken. Even if he isn't, I'm nowhere near his league, but a girl can dream, right? "It's no secret he's my favorite seeing as how I'm basically his mum, but I swear if you tell Emmett, I'll deny, deny, deny!"

"You're his mom? You don't look nearly old enough."

"Well, technically I'm his sister-in-law, but I often think of him as mine. He's lived with Carlisle and me since he was fourteen. Good thing, too…he's a damn good rugby player, loves the sport, and he may have never gotten a chance to play if he'd never come to live with us. Edward, Emmett, and this guy here, Riley Biers"—she flips through a couple of my pages and points to one of the players—"are our three team members that made the All Blacks this year."

Pride is evident in her voice, and I force myself not to ask twenty questions about why Edward came to live with them at such a young age, though common courtesy doesn't stop my mind from making a list of all the reasons he'd no longer be with his parents. The possibilities are endless, but they all boil down to either his parents are deceased or unsuitable to raise a child.

Both scenarios make my heart ache.

Even though my mom is no longer in my life, at least I had my dad growing up. He may have been, and still is, clueless about how to act around a young woman, but I never once doubted his love for me. At least I had one parent stick around.

After hearing Esme sing Edward's praises though, it's pretty obvious he never went without affection, which eases the ache in my chest a little. She finishes telling me about the rest of the guys and we head back to the stadium so I can prep for the team meeting this afternoon. Jasper is only introducing me in the last few minutes, but I have every intention of knowing as much about these guys as I can in case someone challenges me.

I lock myself in my office for an hour and study the player sheets, determined to learn as much about the guys as I can. When I get back to Edward's profile, I force myself not to linger on it longer than the other players, but I can't stop the butterflies in my stomach as I stare at his picture.

I take a deep breath, close my eyes, and tell myself to get over it. Even if there is the slightest chance that Edward Cullen would ever be interested in me, I can't risk my job over something that would surely be a one-night stand to him. There's no way that man doesn't have a line of women just waiting for an opportunity to be with him, and I refuse to join their ranks just to have my heart broken again.

With that in mind, I close the heavy three-ringed binder and head to the meeting room. I arrive five minutes early, feeling better about the job after spending so much time with Esme today, but still nervous to meet the team. I stand in the corner searching out the faces Esme highlighted first.

Edward, Emmett, and Riley are sitting together near the front, their All Blacks assignment clearly bonding them and creating a formidable trio. I'm looking forward to having them in two additional sessions each week so they can stay at the top of their game.

James Smith and Laurent Brooks are also together near the back. Esme warned me they may not be very cooperative, so I need to nip that in the bud as fast as possible.

The three players who sustain the most injuries on the team, Eric Yorkie, Tyler Crowley, and Mike Newton, are scattered throughout the room. They're currently only slotted for three sessions a week, but I hope to convince them to work with me every day, too. Esme loved the idea when I brought it up and suggested I talk to Jasper to get his support before talking to the guys.

A couple of the players have noticed me by now and are pointing me out to one another. Jasper, realizing his words are falling on deaf ears at this point, motions me over.

"All right guys. Since some of you don't seem to care about strategy anymore; let me introduce Bella and then you can head out."

I make my way toward Jasper, and my confidence grows when Emmett winks at me and Edward offers his crooked grin.

"Now, I know some of you are hesitant about this after Tanya, but I promise that won't happen with Bella. She doesn't have a clue who the hell any of you are! She's here to do her job, which is to help you do yours better. You should give the same effort to Bella's lessons as you do your weight training or cardio training. So guys… meet Bella… your new Pilates trainer. Bella, do you have anything to add?"

I look around the room and offer a smile to no one in particular. "Not really…just that I look forward to start training with everyone soon. I'll be in the team meeting tomorrow to discuss how Pilates will help the team in general and assign your training mates. I've been studying your profiles today, so I know where everyone's strengths and weaknesses lie. Hopefully, we will see improvement in everyone's flexibility before your first match, and thanks in advance for giving me a chance. I've heard about your last trainer, and like Jasper said, I promise that won't happen with me."

I sound more confident than I feel, and most of the guys seem okay with my presence, if not a little impressed that I actually have a plan, though there were a few guffaws when I mentioned improved flexibility. Jasper dismisses the team, and I hang back to chat with him about my strategy to divide the guys up into groups of four or five, lumping similar positions together so each player can get the most out of his training session. I want to tailor the classes to suit each position so the players can strengthen what they need most. It's relatively straightforward, so I don't expect him to have much pushback on it, but until I'm settled and proven, I'll be running everything through him first.

Little does he know I am planning on holding a session for the coaches as well. There are five in all so it would be a perfect class. Plus, I have a feeling it'll get me in the good graces of the team a bit faster.

Emmett, Edward, and Riley approach as we're wrapping up and Emmett introduces Riley. He's similar in height and build to Edward, though his face isn't quite as chiseled and he looks to be a little younger. His brown hair is still wet with sweat and his dark blue eyes twinkle adorably as he takes my hand. Well, of _course_ he's incredibly attractive, too. I can imagine the swoonage that occurs when these three go out together. Part of me suddenly understands Tanya's stupidity inventing qualifications to get this job.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Bella," he croons as he dips to kiss my hand. "These two have been bragging to me all day about meeting you this morning. If I'd known I was going to miss out on seeing _you_, I would've dragged my crook arse out of bed and come in early with them."

I feel my cheeks heat up and smile at his words. I'm not sure how to respond; this guy is clearly used to putting the moves on women, and I am clearly not used to being on the receiving end. Fortunately, Edward saves me and interrupts.

"Alright, Biers, stop trying to hit on Bella and let her get back to Jasper." Edward claps his hand on Riley's back—effectively breaking Riley's connection with me—then turns his full attention to me and winks before saying, "I look forward to seeing you again tomorrow, Bella."

"Me too, Bellaboo!" Emmett practically screams compared to Edward's soft-spoken, soothing voice. "See your fine form tomorrow, girl!"

Relief courses through me at Emmett's antics and I laugh while saying, "Shut it ,you, or you'll be running laps before and after class!"

"Ooh. I'm shaking in my Nikes, Bella! Bring it on!" he calls back as he walks out.

I turn back to Jasper with wide eyes and blow out a breath. He laughs at me before asking, "You ready for this?"

"NOPE! But I sure can't wait to start." I grin back at him. "Mind telling me why Riley has a crooked ass or is that some kind of guy thing?"

Jasper's laughter fills the nearly empty room but draws the attention of the few remaining players. "Are you right, Coach?" one of them yells.

Jasper nods and regains controls of himself. "Crook means sick in Kiwi speak, Bella. Though I imagine he had the dreaded lurgy. He's a great player, but still really young and not as dedicated as Edward and Emmett."

My mouth drops in shock. Now I _KNOW_ I read that dreaded lurgy was another term for STD's here, and I can't believe Jasper is talking about this so callously with me. Fortunately, Jasper isn't looking at me to notice my reaction and I recover quickly.

"Uhhh… right. Well, I'll have the group lists on your desk first thing in the morning for your approval. Once we start training and I get a feel for the players, I may move some around, but we'll start out with the basics."

"Sounds good, Bella. I think you'll fit in fine around here. I have all the confidence in the world in you, and it sounds like you already have three supporters. Em, Edward, and Rile are the captains, so it's good they're on your side. Whatever you did to impress Emmett and Edward, keep it up, and if you need help tonight, just let me know; Ali and I will be home."

"Thanks, Jasper. If I have a question, I'll be sure to come to you, but I'd like to try my best to sort this out on my own. It's the only way I'll ever prove myself to you and the guys."

Jasper grins and throws an arm around my shoulder as we walk out of the meeting room. "I had a feeling you'd say that. I'm really looking forward to working with you. Now let's get out of here. Ali's making stir fry tonight and I'm starving."

oOoOoOo

I walk into my office the next day, confident about my plan for the team. I'm excited to review it with Jasper and see what feedback he has. I assigned players to groups as best I knew how according to their positions and the information Esme gave me, but I want to see if Jasper thinks the groups' personalities will mesh well together, too.

There are forty-three members on the team, and I prefer small groups so I can provide as much individual attention as possible. Ideally, I would like no more than five players in a group; however, a few groups will have six. Still, that's not too bad. In college, I had fifteen guys in my classes at a time. Now _THAT_ was a challenge!

First things first though… I set up my email account before I do anything else. Even though I signed all of my official paperwork yesterday, logging onto my work email for the first time makes the job feel more real. Jasper told me I'm free to use my work email as a personal account as well, so I'm going to email my former boss and my dad first thing. I promised both I'd let them know how my first day went, but with the time difference, it's almost impossible to find a good time to actually call them. I'm ready to crash into bed at night when they are just barely waking up and when they have free time at night, it's the middle of my workday. It's looking like email will be our main source of communication.

I'm surprised that I have over fifty messages waiting for me when my email pops up. I quickly surmise most are from the trainer listserve and after a quick scan, I delete all but three emails.

I can't stop the smile that takes over my face as I already have an email from Alice, Jasper, and surprisingly, Emmett. I quickly read through Alice's email as she wishes me good luck. Jasper's is much of the same, but he reminds me we have a 10 A.M. meeting. The email from Emmett was sent late last night and I wonder what he could already have to say. The message pops open and I can't help but laugh as I read it.

**TO:** Bella Swan  
**FROM:** Emmett McCarty  
**DATE:** Thursday, Jan. 19, 2012  
**SUBJECT:** _Good Luck!_

**Hey, Bellaboo!**

**Ed and I just wanted to wish you luck on your first day. I'm not trying to tell you what to do or anything, but I think you should open with this when you explain the benefits of Pilates.**

_**Think Pilates for a Coregasm: 10 Ways Pilates Can Improve Sex for Men and Women**_

**Just saying…**

**And Eddie boy is volunteering to aid you in proving this research!**

**See you on the flipside, Bellaboo!**

**Your best student,  
****Emmett**

I contemplate for all of two seconds whether or not I should open the article. I'm sure I know most of it already, and I figure it's probably poor taste to open an article about sex on my first official day, even if it is directly related to my job, but I just can't resist taking a peek. Just as I'm getting ready to click the link, I hear a familiar booming voice coming down the hallway shouting my name.

"Bellaboo! Where are you?"

"Right here, Shaggy!" I call out, wondering if New Zealanders ever watch Scooby Doo. Regardless, Emmett's officially Shaggy from now on if he insists on calling me Bellaboo. Emmett, Edward, and Riley appear in my doorway, and I can't imagine wanting to be anywhere else at this moment. "I was actually just getting ready to open the article you sent me last night. It appears it's going to be quite informative."

Emmett's booming laugh fills my office and I can't help but smile wider. I can see why he's one of Esme's favorites.

And why she doesn't want to share that information with him.

"Just trying to help you out, Coachette. Edward here thought it might be offensive if you went over it with the team, but I knew you'd see it my way."

I glance at Edward with raised eyebrows and see him shaking his head gently while laughing. "Bullshit, Em. I told you not to scare her off right away. We finally have a real trainer. I don't want to lose her because you're an arse with zero personal boundaries."

I can't help the warm feeling I get from hearing Edward's praise. It boosts my confidence to know he already believes I can help improve the team, but his statement also confirms something I was already thinking. "Is that so, Edward? I would have thought you'd be more concerned about _you_ having zero personal boundaries, seeing as how Emmett said you were going to help me prove the article's validity. Are you saying you're not up for that research?" I raise my eyebrow at him and do my best not to smirk.

Edward looks momentarily shell-shocked before he turns to Emmett, narrows his eyes, and says, "Damn it, Emmett! You can be such a dick sometimes."

Emmett doubles over in laughter and Edward turns to me to apologize. "Sorry, Bella. Ignore him. His mum dropped him on his head when he was a baby… repeatedly."

At this, Riley speaks up for the first time. "Ahh… don't pack a shitty, Edward. She's not upset. If I were you, I'd take her up on her offer!"

"Strewth, Edward! Look at her grinning. I knew Bellaboo could take a joke. Besides, I had to warn her about your reputation as a ladies' man somehow."

My face falls at Emmett's mention of Edward's dating history, but I recover quickly. He's just confirmed what I already suspected. Edward's practically sex on legs… of course he's popular with women. They probably fall at his feet. On a scale from one to ten, he's at least a twenty.

I'm a solid six.

I cut Edward a break and stop him from having to proclaim to the entire room that he has no interest in me whatsoever. "Well, guys, as much as I'd love to continue this insanely intriguing conversation, I have to meet Jasper in a few minutes, and I'm pretty sure you have workouts to get to."

"Oh, cracking the whip on us already. I like that!" Riley says with a wink. His response feels more flirtatious than every inappropriate thing Emmett has said to me thus far, and I wonder—if if I can't land an Edward Cullen, could I land a Riley Biers? I shake my head at the thought and remind myself I am their trainer. There are no rules prohibiting relationships, but I certainly don't want to come out the first week hitting on the players and have them think I'm no better than Tanya.

Because I am, damn it! And I intend to prove it.

"Yeah, yeah," I admonish. "Scoot out of here so I can figure out how to whip your asses into shape. I should see you later today at the team meeting."

Riley offers me a cheeky grin, "Well, I look forward to you working me."

"OH! He gotcha there! Let's take this party to the weight room, guys. See ya later, Bellaboo!" Emmett says as he turns to leave.

Edward waits for the other two to leave. The butterflies in my stomach reappear while he waits for us to be alone. "Sorry about that, Bella. I'm sure you've figured out already that Em's a shit stirrer. Just remember to take _everything_ he says with a grain of salt. Good luck today. I have a feeling you'll be a hit with or without that article."

He offers me his crooked smile, and I forget to breathe for a moment before smiling back.

"Thanks, Edward. It's nice to know I have someone in my corner."

Edward nods, "You definitely have that, Bella. See you later."

He turns and walks out of my office leaving me feeling giddy, and confused. Most of my interactions with Edward have been brief or dominated by Emmett. Edward easily has the looks to pull off being a ladies' man, but he seems so sweet and genuine, I find it hard to believe he's out scouring the streets for women every night. Although, with his good looks, caring personality, and the fact that he's one of the best—if not _the_ best rugby player in the world—he has me thinking women are lining up just for a chance to nuzzle his armpit.

Ew. Okay, maybe not. That's pretty gross, but you get my drift.

I shake my head to rid it of all things Edward Cullen and grab my folder to head to Jasper's office. Men are a mystery to me, but _this_ I can do.

* * *

**AN: Big thanks and all the love to my girls—Born, Yummy, and Whiti. AND (I'll get yelled at for that) now I have the fabulous Chaya Sarah as beta. I'm nervous even just writing this author's note without her help.**

**Come see me on Facebook, Shell Shock (link on my profile). CaraNo made me the most gorgeous banner for my SU4K one shot, **_**Soulmates**_**, and it's on my wall. You still have until the 25****th**** to donate! Katalina . fandomcause . info/**

**Rec time… Everyone needs to read **_**Last Call**_** by Robsmyyummy Cabanaboy. It's funny and hot and a bit angsty and hot and beautiful and sexy and hot. Go ahead and put her on author alert, because she has a new one she's working on, too!**

**Thanks for all the love guys. Leave a review if you feel so inclined!**


	4. Chapter 3 - I Don't Doubt Him

**A/N: Thanks for all of the reviews! You guys are awesome. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE sign in if you want a reply with EPOV. I felt really bad because I couldn't respond to a couple of guest reviews, so if you didn't get yours last week, sign in and let me know and I'll send it to you!  
Disclaimer: These characters belong to Stephanie… I'm just playing with them.**

* * *

I walk into the Canton Café to meet Esme for lunch about ten minutes late. My meeting with Jasper went well, and he was even on board with the coaches taking a Pilates class every Wednesday.

Since I'll have eight groups three times a week, plus my extra sessions with the All Black boys and the guys prone to injury, I will be training six classes a day, except Wednesdays when I have four. Hopefully, after a couple of months I can cut Eric, Tyler, and Mike back to three times a week.

I'm really looking forward to spending an hour with the "All Black triplets"—or the "ABT's" as I've so cleverly nicknamed Emmett, Edward, and Riley—every day of the week. Not only are they hysterically funny and drop dead gorgeous, they seem to be dedicated to improving themselves, and I plan to be all over correcting their form.

Knowing I was running late, Esme went ahead to the restaurant to keep our reservation. I've been looking forward to eating here since she suggested it yesterday as I haven't had Cantonese food since I got here, and I've wondered if it's similar to our Chinese food back home.

The hostess shows me to Esme's table, and we quickly decide to split an order of the Peking duck, the restaurant's signature dish, and the black chilli prawns. Esme asks how my morning went and I fill her in on some of the finer details of my meeting with Jasper.

"That sounds like a great start, Bella," Esme praises me. "As long as you deliver this to the guys with the same confidence and background you just gave me, most of them should fall in line. I look forward to seeing the team reap the benefits of you being here."

"Thanks, Esme, I really appreciate that. I'm sure I'll be a bit more anxious when I present this to them, but hopefully the nerves will pass quickly. I may not know the inner workings of rugby yet, but it's a piece of cake to relay how much Pilates can help them. If they'll listen, I should be able to sway anyone who may still be on the fence."

The server appears with our orders and I am shocked at the amount of food. My eyes must be bugging out of my head because Esme laughs and assures me the leftovers won't go to waste.

"Edward and Emmett know we are eating here today. I have a feeling they will show up in my office to fight over my take-aways."

"Well, take mine, too, and they won't have to fight. I can't believe how big these portions are!" I exclaim, happily digging into my first taste of Peking Duck.

Mmm…no wonder this is the signature dish—the sweet, crunchy skin makes my taste buds want to dance.

"Oh my gosh, Esme. This is amazing," I say, plucking up the scallion that fell out of my pancake and popping it in my mouth, "I may _not_ have any leftovers!"

"Eat all you want. They'll survive either way," Esme assures me.

I take my first bite of the prawns and moan my appreciation, and unsurprisingly, they are just as delicious as the duck. As I chew, I contemplate asking Esme for more information on Edward and Emmett—mostly Edward, of course. She's quickly becoming a good friend, but I know Emmett and Edward are very special to her and I don't want to make things weird, so I proceed cautiously.

"So, I have a Kiwi question for you if you don't mind."

Esme nods for me to go on as she's just taken a bite of the duck. "What does crumpet mean? And who is Sheila? And I think I figured out that a tiki tour is a really thorough tour, right?"

Esme's eyes raise a bit as she swallows her food. "Well, Bella, it appears you've made an impression on someone. We'll start with the easy one. You're kind of right about a tiki tour. It's more of a roundabout way to get somewhere, so instead of going straight from A to B you make a stop at C, D, and E first. Where did you hear crumpet and Sheila?"

"Emmett and Edward. Well, mainly Emmett. He called me a crumpet yesterday morning when we met. I overheard Emmett tell Edward I wasn't just a crumpet but a Sheila. I thought maybe she was the previous trainer, but Jasper shook his head and refused to explain. It's bad, isn't it? The guys were picking on me, weren't they? On the other hand, they've both been really nice to me, so I just don't know!" I ramble. I can never seem to stop talking when I'm nervous.

Esme's smile has turned into a full-fledged mischievous smirk. "You _have_ made an impression. What did my Edward say back to Em?"

"He just agreed with him from what I heard."

"Well, a crumpet is a word you'll probably hear a lot in a locker room full of men. It basically refers to a hot woman—usually one the guy wants to get with. I happen to know that while Emmett comes across as a huge flirt, he's very happily engaged and quite whipped to be honest, which means he was probably trying to get Edward some action—as if he needs help with that." Esme rolls her eyes as she finishes and pops another prawn in her mouth.

I shake my head, "Oh, I doubt that's what he meant. Regardless, I'm used to locker room talk from working with my college football team. They were the same way… always feeding me lines, hoping I'd go easy on them in class, but it never worked." I'm dying to ask more about Edward, but I don't want to be too obvious. "So, Emmett is engaged? I'm not surprised; he seems like a really great guy. What does his fiancée do?"

"Rose is a mechanic. She's so gorgeous she could easily be a super model, but she loves working on cars. I'm sure you'll meet her sooner or later. She comes around a few times a week and is always out when the guys go to the bar. I expect one or more of them will be inviting you to join them." Esme's grin pops back out as she finishes.

"That sounds like a lot of fun, actually. If I only get to live here for a year, I really want to make the most of it." I set my fork down and push my plate away. Even though I've barely eaten half of my plate, I can't take another bite. The spicy shrimp had blended perfectly with the sweet duck meat to make me a happy but stuffed camper.

"Well, if everything goes the way I expect, maybe we can extend your contract and make this more permanent if that's something you're interested in. I realize this is an incredible opportunity for you. It is for us as well, though. When Jasper told us Alice had a friend who basically did exactly what we've been looking for, we couldn't believe our luck. It's a relatively new practice, so there are not many Pilates trainers around here that also have experience with a full contact sport."

Alice explained this to me when I asked her why this team was willing to take a chance on someone who lived on the other side of the world and had a very limited knowledge of rugby. I trust Alice, but at the same time it's nice to hear it from someone within the organization.

"Thanks, Esme. It is really exciting for me and it came up at a perfect time in my life to make such a drastic change." She's left one question unanswered though, "So, who is Sheila then?"

"That one is kind of strange. It's more of an Aussie saying than Kiwi, but you never know what's going to come out of Emmett's mouth. The way he said it, it sounds like he means a really amazing woman—someone you really adore and admire. That's why I said you must've made an impression on them, and if Edward agreed… well, he's not easily impressed. Most women only care about his looks or fame. They pretend to be someone they aren't to get his attention. It's something he struggles with. I'm not saying he's perfect. I hear things and I know he's done his fair share of womanizing—especially when he was younger—but I know my boy, and I know he wants more."

"Wow. That must be awkward for you to hear those things about him if he's like your son." I try to cover up my emotional conflict of hearing about Edward's sexual proclivities by deflecting Esme. It's silly. Even if he is interested—which he's not I remind myself again—there's no way anything could happen without ruining my credibility with the team.

"Nah," she shrugs, "he's not so much my son in that aspect. He was already interested in girls when he came to live with us, so I got to experience that aspect as his sister-in-law. I know our relationship is unconventional with so many crossed lines, but it is what it is."

I want to ask more about why Edward came to live with them, but that's definitely getting too personal for my second day of work. Instead, I suggest that we head back to Eden Park so I can finish prepping and be ready to wow the boys this afternoon.

I follow Esme to her office to drop off my leftovers for Emmett and Edward and pause in the doorway on my way out. As I'm saying goodbye, there's a sudden gush of warm air in my ear and something grabs my shoulders, scaring the shit out of me and making me jump.

Expecting to turn and find Emmett, I'm pleasantly surprised to see my new favorite pair of rainforest green eyes, dancing with mirth. "Sorry, Bella. I didn't mean to startle you _that_ badly, but I couldn't resist. You okay?"

I whack his arm lightly with the back of my hand. "Yes, but you are dangerous when you're alone. Where's your loud-mouthed friend?"

"I ditched him so I could get to Esme's take-aways first. I expect he'll be along shortly, which means I need to start eating now."

Esme laughs as Edward grabs my box from the restaurant. "No need to be greedy today; Bella took one for the team and is handing over hers as well," she tells him.

Edward's face lights up as he turns me to me. "Seriously? Sweet as, Bella! You rock."

My eyes grow big and I choke on air as I start coughing. Did he just say I have a sweet ass? In front of Esme? "Sweet _what_?"

Edward's mouth is already full of food so Esme helpfully replies for him. "Sweet as. Another Kiwi phrase I'm sure you'll hear a lot. It means cool or awesome."

"Oh! Right! I knew that one. It just sounded like something else with the accent and all. You guys don't even say the word I thought you said so that was dumb of me anyway. Okay, well, I'm just gonna go now." I'm rambling again and know the only way to stop is to make a direct exit, but Edward sticks his hand out and grabs my arm.

"Oh, no. You're not getting away that easily. What exactly did you think I said?" he asks, shoving another bite of food in his mouth.

I lift my hand to shield my eyes from their view. "This is so embarrassing. I thought you said 'sweet ass,' which is stupid because you say arse so it doesn't even make sense. I'm still getting used to the accent and it just took me off guard."

Edward's eyebrows shoot up before he not-so-subtly glances down at said ass and grins. "That, too."

"_Okay_, well, I'm mortified so I'm going to go now. I'll see you in the meeting later, Edward. Enjoy the duck and prawns." I turn to leave but am met with a wall of solid muscle.

"EDDIE. DUDE. What the fuck! You skipped out early to eat my take-aways, too?" Emmett bellows as he takes in Edward's nearly-empty take-out box.

Esme pipes up before Emmett can inflict bodily harm. "Calm down, Em. There's a box for each of you. You can thank Bella for sharing; now get out of the poor girl's way so she can get back to work."

Emmett doesn't need to be told twice as he's already at Esme's desk, grabbing his take-home box. I start out of Esme's doorway as he takes his first bite, "So fuckin' good! I love it when you eat at Canton Café, Esme."

I laugh to myself as I make my way back to my office. I have a feeling I'm never going to want to leave this island.

oOoOoOo

I'm in my office after the team meeting, wrapping up some final details when my phone rings.

"Hello?" I answer, still clacking away on my computer.

"Hey, Bella!" Alice exclaims into my ear. "How'd the presentation go?"

"Oh, hey, Alice, pretty good. No outbursts at least and I got to talk to a few more players. They were all quite welcoming. A few even seemed excited about starting the classes, and Jasper said it went really well, so I'm actually looking forward to starting Monday."

"Yeah? That's awesome. I talked to Jas and he said you were fabulous. Not that I had any doubts. You've never given yourself enough credit."

"Thanks, Ali. I can't even tell you how much I appreciate everything you've done for me, and I promise I'll be out of your hair soon. I found a couple apar…_flats_ today to look at this weekend."

"No rush, girl. You know that. It's fun having you here. Plus, I don't have to stay up until after midnight to have a decent chat with you!"

"True," I laugh, thinking of all the hours of sleep my friends and I have lost spent chatting on Facebook from our different time zones, "but still, I'm sure you want me out so Jasper can get back to cooking naked for you!"

"Well, yeah, there is that," she chuckles into the phone, "but I'm sweet. Make sure you find a place you like. Don't rush."

"Thanks, Alice. Seriously, you guys are the best."

"Yeah, yeah. I'll take my thank-you in the form of a drink tonight. Jasper just called to tell me a bunch of guys from the team are going to The Kingslander later. You in?"

"Sure, sounds like fun!"

"Awesome! If you don't want to walk over by yourself, just wait for Jasper. I'll be there in about an hour. I'm so excited we get to hang out together tonight!" I can practically see Alice jumping up and down through the phone.

"All right, well, let me go so I can finish this up and head out. See you in a few."

Excited for my new plans tonight, I get back to work. I'm almost finished when I hear a knock on my door. I look up to see Edward smiling at me and can't stop the matching one that takes over my face.

Not that I want to.

"Hey there," I greet him, "where's your partner in crime?"

Edward laughs and gestures over his shoulder down the hall. "He's on the phone with Rose telling her where to meet us tonight, which is actually why I'm here. Some of us are going to The Kingslander to drink some piss. Want to come with?"

I hesitate for a moment while my mind works out what he's just said. Logically, I know he means beer, but they are fond of the word 'piss' here.

More importantly, Edward is inviting me out. Granted, it's with the rest of the team but still—that's good, right? I realize my moment has stretched too long when Edward begins to retract his statement.

"Sorry!" I interrupt, "I was just making sure I knew what piss meant in my head before answering. We use the word a bit differently back home. I feel so loved right now! I just got off with Alice and she mentioned going out as well, but I'm glad she's not the only that wants me there. I'd love to walk with you if you don't mind waiting a few minutes."

"Of course, no problem. Want me to wait out in the hall?"

"Don't be silly. You can just sit in here… unless you want to go find Emmett?" I raise my eyebrows in question and motion him to sit when he shakes his head no. "Then have a seat. I write out all of my plans on paper and then transfer them to my computer. It takes a little longer, but it's easier for me to visualize that way so it's worth it."

Edward drops his bag, sits in one of the two available chairs, and props his right leg on his knee. I notice for the first time that he's in street clothes instead of his usual practice tee and shorts. If possible he looks even better in his Levis and flannel button-down with the sleeves rolled up, displaying a watch on his right wrist.

Nommy.

I'm thankful I didn't actually start Pilates training today and am dressed pretty much the same, but my black jeans are skinny and I'm wearing a silky grey tank under my white button down. I make a mental note to bring an outfit in to leave here in case I ever need it.

I'm snapped out of my thoughts when Edward speaks up again. "So, where are all your pictures? Esme has a ton up in her office and half are of me… even though she sees me here every day. Isn't that a girl thing? I figured you'd have even more considering everyone you know being back in the States and all."

"Oh…well, I um, didn't really have anyone worth remembering back home—just my dad, I guess, and even that's a bit of a muddled relationship," I mumble, averting my eyes from him. I'd really rather not see the look in his eyes when he realizes I'm a huge loser with no viable friendships to speak of back home.

There's a pregnant silence that for once is caused by something other than my inability to function properly because of how incredibly hot this man is, before I hear him say softly, "Hey, I'm sorry, Bella. That was really rude of me. Forget I said anything, okay? Let's talk about something else, or I can still go find Emmett if you want?"

"Of course not. Why don't you tell me about The Kingslander. I've actually heard of it, so it must get crazy busy." I say, effectively closing the subject of my pathetic life.

"Sure, heaps of people show up on game days, but it's early enough now that we shouldn't have any problems. Plus, they always make sure we have somewhere to sit."

Before I can respond, I hear Emmett's booming voice from the hallway. "BellaBOO! Where are YOU?"

I chuckle and yell back, "Right here, Shaggy!" Turning back to Edward, I ask, "Is he ever not in a good mood?"

He delivers his lopsided smile and shakes his head. "Very rarely. He seems to have taken a shine to you since you told him off that first day, but that's pretty much Em all the time. He's one of the most genuine blokes I've ever met and the best mate I could ask for. It's hard to find people like him in this world." Edward gestures around the room to indicate the rugby stadium, "I guess that's why we spend so much time together, even though he's annoying as hell ninety percent of the time."

Edward's eyes portray the sincerity in his sentiment about this friend and I think back to Esme's words about it being difficult for Edward to have relationships because of his popularity.

"Ahh…so really Emmett wanted me to come tonight and you're just the messenger. I see, now," I grin at him, glad our conversation has successfully returned to playful banter.

"Well, of course Emmett wanted you to come, too, but I invited you because I wanted…" Emmett barges in the room effectively interrupting Edward.

"Let's go, Bellaboo. Time's a-wasting. Rosie will be there in thirty minutes and I want to have some piss before she arrives and cuts me off." He starts stacking papers on my desk to hurry me along, and I laugh at his enthusiasm.

"Settle down, Shaggy," I chide. "Let me shut down my computer and I'll be ready. I never realized you were so scared of your woman. That's an interesting tidbit of information."

Edward guffaws from his chair and covers his mouth with his hand while Emmett stops what he's doing and looks at me, affronted.

"I am not scared of Rosie," Emmett says, giving me the stink-eye. "I just happen to respect her wishes enough to stop drinking when she thinks I've reached my limit."

"Whatever, dude," Edward injects helpfully. "After you got into a fight with that total stranger because he said the south island was better and then you pissed all over the tires of his car, you need someone to tell you when to stop and you know it."

"Ahh, piss off, Edward!" Emmett exclaims. "I had her! She really believed I was upset there for a minute! Didn't you, Bellaboo?!"

I don't even try to stop the somewhat rude laugh that bursts out of me. "Maybe a little bit, Em. I thought for a minute you were a kind, thoughtful fiancé. I'm glad to see that's not really the case."

"I just love how you think you got jokes, girl. Now, get your shit and let's go. I wasn't kidding about drinking that beer before she gets there." Emmett claps his hands together in a 'chop chop' motion to hurry me along again.

"All right! Calm down. I'm ready; let's go!" I exclaim, heading toward the door.

I jump a little when Edward places his hand on the small of my back to usher me out the door and smile when it stays there a beat or two longer than strictly necessary.

"So, how long have you and Rose been together?"

Emmett's face lights up, and I can tell how much he cares about his fiancée. It's refreshing to see, and I'm really happy for him, if not a bit jealous.

"About three years, give or take," he replies. "I brought one of my cars in for work at her garage and that was that—haven't looked back since. She's looking forward to meeting you tonight. You two should hit it off pretty well. She and Alice hang out sometimes…hell, most of the wives or girlfriends do shit together. I'm sure you'll fit right in."

"That sounds nice. I was just telling Edward I didn't have a lot of friends of my own back home. They were all friends with my ex first, so when he went, the rest of them did, too. It'll be fun to have girl time again!"

I'm not sure what possessed me to share this with Emmett and Edward. Maybe I'm hoping I sound like less of a loser if Edward knows I had friends at one point. Regardless, I find I'm not all that surprised I opened up, either. Like most of the people I've met here, Emmett's already made me feel so welcome and at ease.

"Well, you'll have plenty of girl time once you're done working our sweaty arses off!" Emmett wraps his beefy arm around my neck and pulls me into him. "You're gonna love it so much here, you'll never want to go back home, Bellaboo. Mark my words!"

I can't be certain, but I think I hear Edward murmur, "Let's hope not," effectively bringing a huge smile to my face.

As I approach The Kingslander, under the arm of one guy who could easily become one of my closest friends here, and next to another guy who happens to be the sweetest, sexiest man I've ever laid eyes on, I don't doubt Emmett's words for a minute.

* * *

**A/N: Thanks to my usual suspects: Whiti, Yummy, Born, and Chayasarah. You guys make me so much better. For serious.**

**TODAY (the 25****th****) is the LAST DAY to donate to SU4K. We've met the goal of $10K (AMAZING – you guys rock so hard and I'm so proud to be part of this fandom), but if you haven't donate yet you definitely still need to! The compilation is going to be amazing with over 100 authors... some even coming out of fanfic retirement! Big, huge, massive, gargantuan THANKS, GOOD JOB, WELL DONE to bornonhalloween and the team she assembled for organizing this. Of course, an even bigger 'Thank You' to kroseph, who so selflessly wanted to turn her diagnosis into something uplifting and positive for others. Katalina . fandomcause . info**

**Rec: There's this girl, kitkat681, who writes the sweetest Edwards ever. I flove them all. Hard. She's written about a million words, so if I had to pick just one story... It'd probably be**_**Chocolate Covered Kisses**_**. French Edward… who makes chocolate candies… do I really even need to say anything else? Unf! **_**From My Window**_** is really good, too. Oh, and so is**_**Big Rig**_**. Okay… just read all of them.**

**Reviews are love!**


	5. Chapter 4 - No Winner Here

**A/N: You guys rock hard… Let me know if you didn't get a review reply!**

**Disclaimer: These characters belong to SM.**

* * *

The Kingslander is busy but not packed. It's still pretty early for a Friday night, but I can see the team has commandeered four tables in the back corner. Emmett leads me over and I'm grateful he stays close because so far only guys from the team are here. I've been studying their profiles so I know everyone's name, but I haven't actually spoken to most of them yet. My two troublemakers are the icing on the cake—James and Laurent are here.

They haven't been a huge problem so far, but that would be almost impossible considering I've only interacted with the team as a group. After Esme's warning, I did notice they weren't exactly the most attentive participants in the meeting, though. I barely held their attention and often caught them whispering to one another. I'm not about to put up with that kind of attitude during my sessions, but I didn't think calling them out in front of the rest of the team right away was a good idea, either.

We sit at one of the empty tables the guys corralled, and I grab a menu while Emmett and Edward greet everyone. Before I can even get a good look at the menu, two of the players join me at my table.

"Hi, I'm Peter." He smiles and offers his hand to shake. "I'm glad you came out tonight so we can get a chance to know you a little better. This here's Garrett. We're backs on the team."

Garrett offers a small smile and gives me a head bob.

"Yes, I know. Don't tell me though. You're the center, right? And Garrett is a fullback?" I question, pulling the player profiles from my memory. The team is aware I have little knowledge about rugby. I had wanted to get that out in the open immediately so it wouldn't look like I was trying to hide anything. "I know the center helps open up the field so other wingers and fullbacks can score tries. You score tries, too, right? Doesn't the fullback kick the ball sometimes? Maybe? I'm learning as fast as I can, I promise!"

"Aye," Garrett speaks for the first time, "that'd be my job. I'm impressed you already know that much. Took my Katie two years to realize what I do, and she only had to focus on me!"

I laugh with him and question, "So, Katie is your…?"

"My wife," he supplies. "She's not a huge fan of the sport but she pretends enough to support me. She'll be 'round sometimes after the games."

"Sweet as," I reply, feeling a little smug I remembered a Kiwi word.

"Ahh!" Peter exclaims. "Learning some of our language already, eh?"

"I'm trying. I read up on Kiwi phrases online, but it's completely different actually being here." I gesture toward Emmett and Edward as they're making their way back to our table. "After spending fifteen minutes with these two yesterday, I knew I had a lot more to learn. I plan on forcing Alice to give me lessons this weekend."

"Lessons on what?" Edward asks, plopping down in the seat next to me and throwing his arm on the back of my chair.

"Kiwi speak, mate," Peter supplies. "Your girl here just said 'sweet as.' We'll have her talking about Waikikamukau in no time."

I can't truly appreciate the churning in my stomach when Peter calls me Edward's girl because I swear I just heard him say why he's kicking a cow. Edward's carefree laugh amps up the flutters in my belly, but before I have time to ask, a server appears with the guys' drinks.

"What can I get you?" she asks. I glance down and select the first beer I recognize.

"A Heineken, please."

"Sure thing. You guys just let me know when you're ready to order some food," she adds before sashaying away.

"So, are one of you going to tell me whose cow we're kicking, or do I have to wait for Alice to get here?" I ask.

Emmett, who had already downed half his glass, struggles as he chokes on his beer. Edward, Peter, and even reserved Garrett are not doing much better. In fact, they aren't even trying to hide their laughter. I think I just need to accept that for the foreseeable future, I'll be the comic relief for the team until I master their Kiwi-isms, so I decide to own it.

"Laugh it up, guys. I'll have every one of you in my clutches on Monday. Now tell me… why are we talking about kicking a moo cow?"

Peter grins sheepishly and gestures toward Edward. "Why don't you take this one, mate? Maybe I shouldn't be teasing the poor lass just yet."

"Waikikamukai is a made-up city in New Zealand. I'm pretty sure only people our parents' age still talk about it. You'll never need to know that. The easiest thing to remember is we shorten any word we can—breakfast becomes brekkie, relatives are either rellies or whanau if you use the Maori word, give us is gizza, things like that. Most other Kiwi phrases are colloquial or generational. I wouldn't worry too much about it, though. You'll catch on quick enough, and most people won't expect you to have a clue what we're saying as soon as they find out you're American," Edward supplies.

"That's comforting. Everyone will know I'm completely clueless and really amp it up for me. Even yesterday…you said something about running Bobs and naffing off. I kind of figured out you were calling him stupid and telling him to fuck off, but I felt like I stood there dumbfounded forever trying to figure it out," I huff.

"First of all, Bellaboo, there's no Kiwi phrase about running Bobs so you still missed it, and second of all, don't worry about it, I got your back. I'll be your personal translator!"

"Oh thanks, Em. I can't think of anything I'd rather do than spend all day next to you!" I joke.

"Hey! I gave you a genuine offer. No need to get all snarky. If I'm not good enough for you, I'm sure we can find someone else willing to help. Don't you think, Edward?" Emmett raises his eyebrows to Edward and drains the last of his beer.

Edward flat out ignores Emmett and shakes my shoulder, "You'll be fine, Bella. Don't stress over it. You know where to find me if you have any questions."

Our waitress returns with my beer, and Emmett waves her over and orders three appetizers and questions her about a second entrée before I tune him out. I hear my name and turn to see Jasper, Alice, and a tall, leggy, supermodel-looking blonde approach our table. Alice makes a beeline for the empty seat on the other side of me and leans down to squeeze me hello.

"I'm so excited you're actually here, and we're out together having fun and not separated by a gazillion miles and a computer!" she squees.

For the record, Alice squees often, and no, you never get used to it.

Her enthusiasm is infectious, and I feel some of the worry about fitting in drop off my shoulders. I can't lose these people as friends because one of them decides I'm no longer part of his life. Alice isn't going to break up with me, and I need to move past that insecurity and enjoy these friendships while I can. There's no guarantee I'll be here this time next year.

"Me, too. Sometimes, I still can't believe I'm here! I would've thought—out of our entire group of friends—you'd be the last person I'd get to meet in person, being halfway around the world," I say, taking several sips of my beer.

"I know, right?! I can't wait for you to meet some of the other rugby girls. In fact, let's go talk to Rose; you're going to love her." Alice grabs my hand and pulls me out of my chair.

I grab my beer and glance at Edward as Alice starts to drag me away, "See you later, I guess."

He winks and grins, "I'll save you a seat, beautiful."

And then I die.

Okay, not really, but the man is lethal. Add a little alcohol and a few more compliments, and I'll be a hot mess for him by the end of the night—even more than I already am.

Alice introduces me to Rose, and we chat with her for a while about everything I need to experience during my stay in Auckland. Alice offers to take me to the places like the Auckland Art Gallery and the Sky Tower where it's nice and safe as she says. Rose insists on taking me island hopping and mentions hiking several of the volcanoes in the area. When our waitress returns with Emmett's massive order, I feel my stomach growl a little. I excuse myself from the girls and return to my seat next to Edward and grab my menu.

"Thanks for saving my seat," I say. "Wanna tell me what's good here?"

"Trust me when I say…everything. It just depends on what you're in the mood for."

"Well, I don't want a whole lot, but I don't want just a salad either."

"My kinda girl," he says, winking at me. "You can't go wrong with the small platters then. The Bowl of Wings is my favorite, but the Tiger Prawns and the Bruschetta are pretty good, too."

"Hmm…maybe I'll save the wings for next time and stick with the bruschetta tonight since I had prawns for lunch. I'm counting on you, though. You better not lead me astray." I gently nudge his side as I tease him.

"Never," Edward's arm finds its way to the back of my chair again as he leans in close to my ear, "and I'm holding you to that 'next time.'"

I can't stop the smile that spreads across my face or the blush that heats my cheeks at his words as our waitress returns with beers for Edward and me. The look on her face clearly indicates she'd kill to be in my shoes right now.

I can't really blame her. She remains professional, though, and I sip my beer while Edward orders our food. That's when I notice Riley on the opposite side of the bar sitting with three women. Each is doing her best to hang all over him, and he's clearly eating up the attention. I'm not the least bit surprised. If Edward is a twenty on my scale of one to ten, Riley could easily be a ten. I'm sure by the time you add his rugby star status and his natural ability to charm the pants off any woman, he has plenty of opportunities.

Riley's popularity with women reminds me of something Jasper mentioned earlier, and I've had just enough beer to lean into Edward and ask, "Okay, do you promise to tell me the truth about something?"

Perplexed, Edward simply nods his head and huddles in a little closer to me.

"Jasper told me the real reason Riley was late yesterday was because he has an STD," I whisper. "Doesn't he worry about passing it along to someone? Look at him over there! He's flirting with three women at the same time!"

My eyes are glued on Riley and his small harem, so it takes me a minute before I realize Edward hasn't answered my question. His eyes are wide and his mouth is gaping a bit. I can't resist, so I gently close it with my finger. "Did you not know? Am I already spreading office gossip? Oh gosh. Why would Jasper tell _me_ of all people?"

Finally, Edward huffs out this half laugh, half guffaw that makes him sound a little like a donkey sneezing—which shockingly enough does not detract from his all-around hotness—and asks, "What exactly did Jasper say?"

"He said the real reason Riley was late yesterday was because he had the dreaded lurgy. That's one of the few phrases I remember from that website; I knew I needed to stay away from anyone who had it. I mean, not that I won't be his friend, of course, but you know what I mean. Please don't make me say it, Edward. I can tell you're trying not to laugh at me again. What'd I do this time?" I've worked myself into a frenzy during my little rant. I probably should have waited until I actually ate before I started drinking. Maybe then I wouldn't have mortified myself in front of the first man that's made my heart pitter patter since Jake.

Edward's head is down now and he's trying his best to hide his laughter, though he's not doing a very good job. His shoulders are shaking and his head is bobbing as he laughs at my Kiwi-stupidity.

"Stop laughing at me," I hiss, poking his stomach. "You promised you'd help me."

"Sorry, Bella," Edward says, finally regaining control of himself again. "That's just the funniest thing I've heard in a long time. I'm so telling Riley and Emmett about this."

"NO!" I squeak. "You can't! Oh my gosh, please don't. Please! I'll do anything; just name it. Please, just don't tell them."

Edward's smile lights up his face. Oh man, I thought his crooked grin was sexy. The smile on his face right this minute is absolutely breathtaking. It makes me want to hop in his lap, wrap my arms around him, and do things that aren't acceptable in public.

"Anything?"

"Oh gosh. Yes, anything, but please go easy on me. And for the love of Pete, tell me what's going on. Obviously, from your hysterical laughter I was wrong. What's 'dreaded lurgy' really mean?"

"It's just another way to say he was faking sick. You may also hear it called a sickie. I can't believe you thought he had an STD. I don't think I've _ever_ heard it used that way before."

"Well, now you have. Perhaps we can start a new trend," I say as I roll my eyes. "Thank god I don't have to worry about that anymore. I couldn't believe Jasper would tell me something that private like it was no big deal! All right, so what do you want from me?"

"Oh, I don't think so, Bella. I plan on cashing that IOU in later," his voice drops and I barely stop myself from whimpering when he adds, "but I promise both of us will enjoy it."

Fortunately, the waitress returns with our order and distracts Edward so he doesn't see me staring at him slack-jawed. I manage to thank the waitress without embarrassing myself in the flustered state Edward's left me and take my first bite of warm, crispy bread topped with melted mozzarella, tomatoes, and basil. I close my eyes and savor the bite. It tastes like heaven in my mouth.

"Mmm…_so_ good," I mumble to myself.

Edward's groan brings me back into the present, and I peer over at him, expecting to see him chewing a bite of his equally delicious looking burger. Instead, his mouth is hinged open and his eyes are trained on me. With more courage than I feel, I close his jaw with my finger for the second time tonight and tease, "It's not polite to stare at people while they eat, ya know? At least not in America; is that something else I'll have to get used to over here?"

Edward's eyes twinkle when he shakes his head and takes a bite of his burger instead of answering me. Laughing, I bump him lightly with my shoulder, "I'm just teasing, Edward. Don't pack a sad."

Edward, no longer able to hide his laughter, says, "Can't you give a guy a break and not hassle me next time you catch me ogling you, Miss Kiwi Girl?"

"'Fraid not, number ten. It's not often I catch guys _ogling_ me, so I have to take advantage when I do." I polish off another piece of bruschetta and eye my almost-empty beer.

"I don't believe _that_ for a minute, and I didn't realize you knew my position." Edward notices my empty, raises his hand to our waitress, and signals for her to bring two more. I have a weakness for observant men who know when to take charge, so it's not surprising that Edward's thoughtful gesture only makes me want him more.

As soon as the thought enters my mind, I remember we're here with the entire team…and I'm Edward's trainer. I have no idea what Edward wants from me, but I'm not so clueless that I don't realize we've been flirting pretty heavily. I glance around the room, but no one seems to be paying attention, so I shrug it off and tell myself there's nothing wrong with a little flirting. If I were having this conversation with Emmett, I wouldn't give it a second thought.

Edward's looking at me expectantly, and I try to remember what we were talking about before I spaced out.

Oh right, Edward's position.

I shrug, "Of course I know. You're one of my players now. It's my job to know. I also happen to know you're a pretty big deal—one of the best players in the country, if not the world. You scored a total of twelve tries, thirty-nine conversions, and thirty-two penalties for a total of two hundred thirty-three points last season between the Blues and the All Blacks."

Edward's eyebrows pop to the top of his head. "Impressive! Here I thought you didn't know much about rugby."

"Well, I don't really yet, but like I said…it's my job to know where you excel and where you may need help. By learning your stats now, everything will fall into place as I study the ins and outs of the game and what exactly they mean." Good girl, Bella. Remind him—and you—that he's your trainee. Nope. No hanky-panky going on here.

"Mmhmm," he says slowly, "so tell me, what're Emmett's position and stats?"

Oh! Mr. Smartypants thinks he's got me!

"Emmett is the hooker—which means a completely different thing in America, by the way, so at least I won't mess that one up—also known as number two. Forwards don't score as much as backs so he only had two tries last year, but he has one of the best throwing arms in the league as he throws the ball in at the line out with a ninety percent win on his own throw." I ramble off, glancing at him and hoping the interrogation ends with Emmett.

"Nice, and what about Liam over there?"

Shit.

"Liam plays the number three position," I reply, confidently.

"And his stats?"

"_Fine_!" I huff. "I only know yours and Emmett's, but I'm going to learn everyone's! I've only been here two days, you know?"

"Oh, sweetheart," Edward croons, leaning down close to my ear, "I'm just delighted to be your first."

Unnnggg….

"Yes, well, I'm so glad I could please you."

The waitress appears with our drinks and as I'm taking my first sip, the other side of the table erupts in laughter. Alice and Emmett are in the midst of retelling a story that apparently everyone already knows. Two other players, Ben and Benjamin—because that's not confusing at all—migrated to our table at some point and replaced Peter and Garrett. They, along with Jasper, are nearly in tears as Emmett does his impression of some guy he got into a fight with while tiny Alice impersonates Emmett. Rose is sitting next to her fiancé with a smirk on her face. She's clearly amused by the story but not willing to egg her fiancé on in the retelling.

"You don't know shit from clay if you think the South Island is the mainland," Alice puffs her chest out and deepens her voice as much as possible. Her arms are flailing around in a perfect imitation of Emmett when he's over-excited.

"And the guy's suddenly all backing down like he didn't just insult me and my island," Emmett adds.

"That's because he didn't, moron," Rose interjects. "You were so pissed you picked a fight with this random guy who wasn't even talking to you—not to mention, everyone _does_ call the South Island the mainland."

"Semantics, Rosie. He insulted my island. It doesn't matter if he wasn't directing his comment to me, but you have a point. I was pissed out of my mind and definitely shouldn't have taken a leak on his car." Emmett somehow manages to sound proud and ashamed of himself at the same time as he takes a sip of his beer. He throws his arm around Rose and pulls her chair closer to him. "Don't be mad, baby. That guy didn't have a shit show of winning if we actually started fighting. You know that."

The table erupts in laughter again, and Rose rolls her eyes. "Not _even_ the point, Em."

Emmett glances over at Edward and me, a huge grin in place.

"Nice of you two to join the rest of us again."

I feel my face flush. I'm reminded of being caught passing notes to the cute boy in school and having the teacher call us out!

"Like I need to hear that story again. It's bad enough I was there to witness the actual event, but now every time we get together, I have to hear you retell it," Edward says, tossing a french fry at Emmett.

"You're just jealous of my mad storytelling skills. Don't even act like you don't think it's funny." Emmett's eyes begin to twinkle and it's obvious he's thought of a new way to torture Edward. "If you prefer, I have _plenty_ of stories about _you_ I can tell since you're so tired of hearing about me after all!"

"Okay!" Jasper pipes in. "That's my cue to leave. You guys take it easy tonight. I expect everyone in tip top condition Monday morning."

A chorus of, "Yeah, yeah," and "Whatever you say, coach," is heard around the table as Jasper stands and offers his hand to Alice. She turns to me and not so subtly asks, "So, Bella, are you riding home with Jas and me or will you be finding other transportation tonight?"

My face immediately heats up, and I wonder how obvious Edward and I have been in our bubble of innocent flirting.

Okay, maybe it wasn't _that_ innocent.

"Nope, I'm ready to go, too. I'll ride back with you if that's okay," I say, standing. I glance down at Edward who's busy throwing enough money on the table to cover both of our meals. "You don't have to get mine, Edward."

"Don't be silly, Bella. It's my pleasure. I think I'm going to head out now, too. Do you mind if I walk back with you?"

"Thanks, that's really sweet, and of course not. I just need to use the restroom before we leave," I reply.

Edward points me toward the opposite side of the restaurant and says, "Loo's over there. We'll wait for you at the door."

I hurry to the restroom and take care of business quickly, eager not to hold everyone up. When I get to the front of the restaurant though, it's only Edward standing there waiting for me.

"I told Jasper and Alice they could go ahead. They looked like they were about to jump each other any minute, so I sent them off to do their thing. I figured a few minutes alone wouldn't hurt any of us," Edward winks at me.

"I'm sure they'll be glad when I find a place to live. I try to be as scarce as possible while I'm there, but it can't be easy to suddenly have a semi-permanent guest in your house when you're used to being just the two of you," I reply.

"Nah, they don't mind at all. That's just how Jasper and Alice are; they're always the first to offer help when someone is sick or needs help moving. You ready?"

"Yep, I'm actually really looking forward to just going to sleep tonight knowing that when I wake up tomorrow, there's nothing I _have_ to do. These past few weeks have been such a whirlwind. I'm ready for a day off to just relax and maybe curl up with a good book before I go apartment hunting."

There's a crowd outside The Kingslander, and Edward grabs my hand to pull me through the masses. I can see Alice and Jasper about to head to the overbridge, the perfect picture of a couple in love, wrapped in one another's arms on a late night stroll. I smile, happy for my friend. I knew Alice had found her soul mate in Jasper from the way she spoke of him during some of our online chats, but it's nice to see it so obvious in person.

It gives me hope.

Edward doesn't let go of my hand, which is pretty okay with me at this moment. I can feel my conscience trying to break through.

_Bad idea, Bella. He's going to tear you apart—even worse than Jake._

Shut up! He's so pretty…and funny, and sweet, and sexy.

_Which is exactly why it's going to hurt so much more this time. Step away, now! Besides, you're here to do a job, remember? He's one of your trainees._

Ugh, I have a point there. I imagine a one-night stand with Edward Cullen would be worth whatever damage it did to my heart, but I've come too far, literally, to risk losing my job. Edward is so swoon-worthy, the possibility of _more_ with him would easily tempt me into risking that, too, but I can't even begin to imagine why he'd want more from me. I strengthen my resolve and wiggle my hand out of his.

I try to play it off by rubbing my arms as if I'm cold, even though it's summertime, but perfect-gentleman Edward takes the opportunity to wrap his arm around me and rub his hand up and down my bicep, "Cold?"

Perfect.

"Nope, I'm good. I just got a chill for a second there, I guess."

Edward nods and smiles but keeps his arm around me, pulling me a little closer. "So, I've been thinking about that IOU."

His honey-smooth voice is playful and I can practically see it beating my conscience, which is now yelling 'ABORT! ABORT! ABORT!' into submission.

"Mmm…" I reply, noncommittally. "And just what have you been thinking about it?"

"I was thinking," his hand dips a little lower and rests on my waist, "how I said it would be good for both of us, and how I'd hate to break that promise."

My conscience is barely a whisper now, and Edward's silky tone and hidden innuendo are about to silence it for good.

"Oh yeah? How noble of you."

Edward laughs and pulls me into a little alcove in front of a store that's closed for the day, affording us a little privacy.

"I don't think what I'm about to do is noble at all, Bella." His fingertips brush down the side of my face and linger on my collarbone, fiddling with the pendant on my necklace. "Trading in an IOU for a kiss from you seems about as far from honorable as I can get, but I don't care if that's what it takes to taste you."

That did it… Conscience: zero, Edward: one.

Edward pulls me closer and my arms wrap around his waist. I don't even think I'm breathing when he cups my face in his hand and leans down, brushing his lips gently against mine. His lips are perfectly soft and moist, and I tug him closer to me, encouraging him to give me more.

Edward presses his lips to mine again, firmly this time, before nipping my bottom lip in between his. I melt into him while he continues to kiss me gently. Finally, he pulls away and rests his forehead against mine.

"So, was it good for you?" he teases.

"Funny guy, you are," I smile up at him.

"Damn, you're so beautiful. How the hell are you single? American blokes must be idiots. You've been here for two days and half the team is already dying to ask you out. Thank God I force Emmett to work out early every day and I saw you first."

His words are so sweet I want to swoon, but they also trigger something in me that riles up my insecurities.

_He's going to hurt you._

Edward leans back down and kisses me again, no longer hesitant but still gentle and sweet.

_You're not good enough to keep him interested for more than a night or two._

I slink my arms around his neck and bury my fingers in his hair, willing my conscience to shut up and let me enjoy this moment.

_You promised yourself you wouldn't get involved with the players. You're better than Tanya!_

Edward's mouth opens more and his tongue sweeps across my bottom lip, requesting entry. I let him in and his tongue slips into my mouth and starts a slow dance with mine. I can feel the passion and electricity between us all the way down to my toes. I grip his hair more firmly, causing him to moan into my mouth.

_You couldn't even keep Jake interested in you…do you really think you can keep him? And then where will you be? Running back home to daddy?_

Conscience: one, Edward: one.

I break our kiss and quickly back away. My eyes stay on the ground as I wrap my arms around myself.

"I'm sorry, Edward," I mutter. "I shouldn't have let that happen. I mean, I'm your trainer. I can't go around kissing you."

Edward steps forward, placing his hands on my biceps, trying to get me to look at him.

I refuse…there's no way I can hold my stance if I look into his eyes.

"Bella, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have assumed, I guess. I thought you were as into it—into _me_—as I am you. If this is about the team, we can just play it low-key for a while. No one has to know. We should probably tell Coach, but as long as we remain professional at work it's really not a big deal. It's not like you can give me special treatment—I mean, what're you gonna do, toss me the lighter medicine ball?"

I almost look up when he mentions keeping it quiet 'for a while'. That must mean he wants more than just a fling with me.

_Or maybe he just wants you to be his dirty little secret._

"It's just not a good idea right now, Edward. I'm sorry. Can we just get back to Eden Park? I'm sorry if you think I led you on, that wasn't my intention. I hope we can still be friends."

Edward drops his hands from my arms, and still I refuse to look at him. I'll crumble if I do.

"Sure, of course. Whatever you want. Let's go."

With that Edward leads me back onto the street, and keeping a respectable distance between the two of us, we head back to our cars.

Conscience: two, Edward: one.

Unfortunately, this round goes to my conscience, which means there's no real winner here.

* * *

**A/N: Sad panda…Poor Rugbyward.**

**Thanks to my girls: whiti, yummy, born, and chaya. They're so awesome. Tho I did tinker with this one after I got it back… all mistakes are MINE (shocking, I know!)**

**Rec Time: I can't even begin to tell you how much I love Amber1983's Britward. If you aren't reading The Search get on it now… he's so sweet and dreamy and sexy and did I mention BRITISH!? His Bellamerica has a difficult past, but she manages to find herself with Edward's support. And I have a small hunch things are about to get lemony. Nom.**

**If you missed it, I posted a one shot yesterday called Pumpkin Love in honor of born's birthday b/c she's all kinds of awesomesauce.**

**Reviews are love!**


	6. Chapter 5 - Not the Best Idea

**A/N: Thank you to everyone who reviewed. I'm caught up as of last night so if you haven't gotten yours yet, let me know. My internet is acting weird so I had to do them from my phone and that's always suspect. You guys rock!**

**Disclaimer: These characters belong to Stephanie Meyer, I'm just playing with them.**

* * *

For the first time since arriving in New Zealand, I wake up Saturday morning depressed. My excitement over spending the morning lounging around before going into the city to find a place to live vanished right along with the twinkle in Edward's eyes last night.

I'd held off glancing up at him until the last possible moment, barely catching a glimpse of his beautiful face as the car door closed between us. It was an unwelcome picture of misery, without even a hint of the crooked grin I adore so much. I'd turned away before tears could prickle in my eyes and wondered how a man I'd only known for two days was having such a powerful effect on me. When Alice asked me what was wrong, I blamed the alcohol and hurried to my room as soon as we got home, certain I would feel better in the morning.

Except I don't. If anything, I feel worse.

The ache in my chest makes it hard to breathe, though not in a good way like the first time I saw Edward. Logically, I know I shouldn't feel this awful after turning down a guy I've known less than forty-eight hours, but knowing that doesn't seem to make it any less excruciating.

The feeling of despair continues to grow as I realize I threw away my chance to be with a guy who not only leaves me breathless just looking at him, but can make me smile with a perfectly timed joke. What is wrong with me? How did I talk myself out of continuing the only kiss that's ever made my toes curl?

Seriously, I think at one point my leg lifted off the ground just like they do in the movies. It was that perfect.

I'm starting to realize Jake did more damage than I thought. I was so wrapped up in losing him, I never stopped to consider how our breakup affected how I view myself. Even though I've been over Jake for a while now, Edward is the first guy I've even thought about in a non-platonic way, so I haven't had a reason to analyze how I'd feel about dating someone else.

Thinking back over the past two days, I realize how much insecurity has crept into my thoughts. My mind is working against me and making me feel inadequate, and the feeling doesn't sit well with me. I hate knowing I let Jake not only shatter my heart into thousands of pieces but also take away parts of my self-esteem when he left.

I know that just because I wasn't good enough for him doesn't mean I'm not good enough for anyone, but that brings me to the obvious fact that if I wasn't good enough for Jacob Black, I'm nowhere near good enough for Edward Cullen.

My head is spinning and I'm not even sure what to feel anymore. I'm not used to feeling this mixed up, and I don't know what to do with myself. Before I can work myself into a tizzy, I hear a soft knock on my door.

"Come in," I call.

Alice peeks through the door, smiles, and produces two bowls of yogurt topped with fresh strawberries and granola.

"I brought you some brekkie," she says. I wave her over to my bed and she bounces in, handing me a bowl and a spoon.

"Thanks, Alice. This looks yummy. Where's Jasper?" I ask, not familiar with their weekend routine yet.

"He's running Mount Eden this morning so he'll be gone a while. I thought we could have some girl time!" The look she gives conveys exactly what she came in here to talk about.

Hoping to buy more time and organize my thoughts, I take a big bite of my breakfast and suffer the consequences when my cheeks puff out and strawberry juice dribbles down my chin.

All-knowing Alice swiftly produces a napkin, and I carefully finish my first bite. "Sounds like fun. Anything in particular you want to talk about?"

I'm such a coward.

"Spill it, B! I want to know why you could practically touch the sexual tension between you and Edward last night at the bar, but by the time he tucked you into our car, both of you looked like we'd just gotten knocked out of the Rugby World Cup."

Knowing Alice will get it out of me eventually; I just give in. "Ughhh, because I'm the biggest idiot EVER! What girl in her right mind would tell Edward perfect-in-every-way Cullen to stop kissing her?"

"He kissed you?" she shrieks, lowering the spoon back into her dish. "You better back up and start at the beginning, girl. I need all of the details now! I can't believe you didn't tell me he was interested in you before we went out!"

"To be fair, I didn't really know until right before he kissed me. I mean, we'd been flirting a lot but that doesn't always mean anything, you know? Especially with a guy like Edward. I've heard from multiple people now that he's a ladies' man, so I just figured he was herding me in with the rest of the sheep in this country."

"First of all, don't knock our sheep. Second of all, Edward is hardly a ladies' man anymore. A few years back he was worse than Riley, but lately I don't see him with a lot of women. In fact, I think it's been a couple of months since he's been out with anyone. Given the fact that he'll see you every day, I really doubt he was just looking to get in your pants."

Alice's logic is good but instead of reassuring me, it makes me waver more. It would almost be better if Edward only wanted me for one night. I would have less chance of getting hurt. Entering a relationship with him that lasted for longer than that would really kill me if I'm this upset after just one kiss.

My mind and my heart are all over the place and I'm unable to keep it all inside, so I spill to Alice. I tell her about our flirting, the kiss, my freak out, the lame excuse I gave Edward when I stopped it, the ache in my chest, the fear of always being alone, and even my insecurities of never being good enough to hold a man's attention for very long.

Tears slide down my cheeks as I talk, and Alice hugs me while I pour my heart out to her. "Oh, Bella, I hate that you're feeling this way. If you get nothing else out of what I say next, please get this; you are so much better than that douchebag made you believe. He sounds like a controlling arsehole who kept you on a short leash so he could make sure you were always at his beck and call. I'm not surprised you're feeling so overwhelmed right now. You're finally getting the chance you deserve to spread your wings and fly. You've completely turned your life upside down in just a couple of weeks. That's got to be a huge stress on you."

"Yes, but Alice, I wanted to move here. It's not like I did this under duress. This is the most exciting opportunity I'll ever have, and I couldn't be happier about it."

"It doesn't change the fact that you still left everything you ever knew behind to move to the other side of the world where you knew exactly _one_ person. That's huge! Not to mention incredibly brave. I'll be honest; I love the idea of you and Edward together, but maybe you should take some time and get used to being here. Figure out who you are and what you feel, maybe even talk to Edward and let him know you just need a little time. I love you but I love Edward, too, and I don't want to see either of you get hurt because you rush into something you aren't ready for," she finishes.

"You're right. I know this. Let me think on it for a few days and then I'll talk with him. Ugh! It's going to be so awkward in class with him!"

"Maybe not. Edward really is a great guy. He's not going to do anything to make you uncomfortable."

I laugh sardonically. "Not helping, Ali. Please tell me how awful of a person he is so I don't feel so bad about this!"

"Sorry, babe! No can do!" She gives me a final hug and hops out of my bed. "Now, there's no way you're moping around this room all day, so what's the plan?"

"I want to go check out a couple of apartments to rent today, but that's it. I really did just want to take it easy since I've been running non-stop the past couple of weeks. Plus, I was looking forward to talking to our girls online. I haven't really had a chance to say more than hi or bye since I got here."

"OH! I'll get on, too! We can chat with everyone together! Then I'll go flat hunting with you to make sure you don't end up somewhere awful."

"Thanks, Alice. I don't know what I'd do without you." I check the time and realize it's still somewhat early. "Let me take a shower and I'll be ready to chat. It's still yesterday back home so maybe some people are on now."

Alice skips off to get ready for the day while I do the same, already feeling a little better about the mess I caused last night.

oOoOoOo

We spend the next two hours playing on Facebook, and it's such a relief to know that for the moment, my biggest concern is whether or not the pictures I'm posting online are too risqué for the girls checking the page from work. Alice and I sit at opposite ends of her couch with our feet on the middle cushion and our laptops in front of us, snacking on grapes and laughing until we cry. By the time we eat a quick lunch of smoked fish and grilled veggies with Jasper, I feel like a new person. I know I need to take some time and really think through my issues and probably even talk it out some more, but after goofing off with my friends for so long, everything from last night seems less ominous and I'm happy to leave it that way for a while.

Alice volunteers to go apartment hunting with me, and I'm grateful for her insistence before we even leave her driveway. The first two places I suggest looking into are more like weekly rentals, and I have no clue how to find what I actually need. Thankfully, Alice drives me to three apartment complexes. The last one is basically a formality though because after the second showing I'm sold.

The Pines is a cute, clean one-bedroom apartment, fairly close to Eden Park, and best of all, the owner is overseas and willing to sublet at a very reasonable price. Relieved to have this daunting task behind me, I pay the deposit and work out all of the arrangements for me to be able to move in two weeks from today.

oOoOoOo

Just after dinner that night, Rose calls and invites Alice and me to brunch the next morning mentioning that she didn't have enough time to chat with me since Edward hogged me most of the night. I cringe at having to recount last night to the fiancée of Edward's best friend, but I'm eager to make friends here, so I quickly agree. I spend the rest of the evening exactly how I'd wanted to spend my morning—curled up in bed with a good book.

When I wake the following morning, I find peace with a small part of myself even among the fallout of Friday night. I'm in a strange country, lying in a strange bed, and starting a brand new job… but I _did_ it. I was scared shitless to grab this opportunity, and I'm so thankful they needed me so quickly or I probably would have chickened out. I'm proud of myself for taking the risk, and I'm glad I recognize what a huge step that is for me.

Thinking back on Alice's words from yesterday morning, I wonder if she's right. Jake was always suggesting I hang out with his friends when he wasn't around and would make me feel guilty if I tried to make plans with a classmate. It never clicked when we were together that he was keeping me from making my own friends and forcing his on me. Fat lot of good that did me since they all ditched me the second Jake did!

Let's not forget that Alice pegged his true nature even without knowing most of the details, and I missed what was right in front of my face for three years. I'm not sure if I'm bothered more about the fact that Jacob was so controlling, or that I never realized it until now. I spent months mourning the loss of someone who I thought was my knight in shining armor, saving me from a college career of miserable loneliness; turns out, he was anything but a noble gentleman.

It's starting to make sense why I was never able to make a single friend on my own in college, but after a week in a brand new country—at a job where I'm supposed to be hated no less—I've managed to form friendships with Jasper, Esme, Emmett, and maybe even Rose.

Not to mention Edward. If I hadn't created a huge clusterfuck of a situation when I stopped our kiss, maybe we would've actually talked about what was going on between us—but no, I ran away from a man who makes my heart speed up simply by walking into the same room as me and who actually seems really interested in me as well. If I weren't so messed up in the head, I could be meeting the guy I'm dating for brunch instead of Rose and Alice.

I end that train of thought quickly and remind myself this is a good thing. I need to learn from my mistakes with Jake and form solid, long-standing friendships before jumping into the arms of the first guy that shows me attention.

My thoughts are still so jumbled I realize Alice was right—acclimating myself to my new life and healing my emotions need to be my top priorities right now. I sigh and head to the bathroom to get ready for brunch. The sad fact remains that even if I can fix my insecurity issues and be good enough for someone like Edward, I'm likely to lose credibility with the team if I pursue him after that cow Tanya fangirled over all of them. Recalling the butterflies in my belly and the goose bumps Edward's touch ignited during our kiss, I realize that he just may be worth it.

oOoOoOo

Takapuna Beach Café & Store reminds me a bit of a Cracker Barrel in America, but only so far as there is a small store attached to the restaurant. I'm not knocking the Cracker Barrel; it was one of my favorite places to eat as a child—I loved getting the penny candies after dinner—but it pales in comparison to the Takapuna Beach Café. It's modern with floor to ceiling glass walls, showing off the view of the gorgeous beach. Beautiful glass domes filled with sweet treats sit in the middle of the café, tempting every diner who enters, and the open kitchen allows the guests to watch the chefs prepare their food. The _pi_é_ce de resistance_ is when we carry a prepared gourmet picnic basket onto the restaurant's private beach. I understand why we drove forever just to eat brunch here now!

My stomach grumbles as Alice passes my eggs benedict with lemon-cured salmon and salad greens to me, but the house hot chocolate is too tempting to resist any longer. I may be a Pilates trainer, but that doesn't mean I don't have a sweet tooth. I'm a sucker for anything chocolate, and this drink is like a dream come true. I add hot foamed milk to my glass that already holds copious amounts of melted chocolate and then top it with chocolate shavings. My mouth waters as I bring the glass to my lips for my first taste, and I close my eyes in delight as the decadent, chocolaty goodness slides over my tongue and down my throat.

This may be better than kissing Edward.

What am I saying? The chocolate must've gone to my head. There's only one thing I can think of that would be better than kissing Edward; it still involves Edward, but I'd be wearing a lot fewer clothes than I am now—although adding chocolate to _that_ scenario would make it even better.

We tuck into our breakfast and chew in silence for a few minutes before Rose turns to me and starts asking questions. It's not until she starts asking questions about Jake that I tense up slightly. Apparently, Emmett mentioned I had an ex back in the States. I keep it light, not hiding anything but not offering up any more than what she asks either.

Yes, we were together for quite a while and were serious.

Yes, I was shocked when he left me.

No, it was not amicable and we haven't spoken since.

That's when Alice decides to speak up. "Thank god for that. She's better off without that asshat. I wasn't a huge fan of his when they were together, and if she hadn't been so devastated when he ended their engagement, I would've been twirling around my living room when she told me."

I stare at Alice with shocked eyes and a gaping mouth as she ends her rant and picks up her drink. I glance quickly at Rose who is trying unsuccessfully to hide her smirk. I knew Alice harbored ill feelings toward Jake, but I didn't realize they were this strong. Unsure of how to respond I mumble, "Uh… okay."

Alice's eyes grow wide for a moment as she realizes what she's said, and then she shrugs her shoulders. "Sorry, Bella, I didn't mean for it to come out quite like that. I guess that'll teach me to have a Mimosa for breakfast! I told you yesterday he was too controlling though, so it shouldn't be a huge surprise. It became even more obvious to me over the past week as I watched you overcoming your supposed shyness and branch out to meet new people. He stifled that side of you, and even eight thousand miles away I could tell you weren't _really_ happy with Jake. I believe if you think about it, you'll realize that, too."

Alice uses air quotes around 'supposed shyness' and rolls her eyes as she says it. Rose giggle-snorts, and similar to Edward's donkey-guffaw on Friday night, the sound doesn't detract from her natural beauty. "Nothing like a little truth serum to make a brunch awkward. Good job, Ali!"

Alice maturely sticks her tongue out at Rose. "Hush, you. Like you weren't sitting there digging for information on her to bring back to Emmett and Edward. I just sped up the process a little!"

"What?" I splutter. "No! You cannot go back and tell them this!"

Rose rolls her eyes and shakes her head. "I'm not, Bella. Don't listen to Drunky MsWasted over there. I'll admit to wanting to know more about you after hearing what happened Friday night, but I'd never go back and share something you told me in confidence."

Alice giggles and takes another sip of her Mimosa. Lush.

I eye Rose warily. She seems to be a very genuine person, and I have no reason not to trust her except…

"Are you sure, Rose? You've known Edward a hell of a lot longer than you've known me."

"True," she states, looking right at me as she speaks. "I know you've already figured out how close Emmett and Edward are, which means Edward and I spend a lot of time together. Honestly, I love him like a brother and I'm very protective of him, but I'm not into spilling someone else's secrets. You can't blame me too much for wanting to know a little more about you. From where I was sitting Friday night, that boy has it bad for you. Oh, and it helps that those two are worse than girls and spent an hour talking about you yesterday."

Smiling, she shakes her head and I really want to ask her what they talked about, but she's being respectful enough to not blab my secrets so I'm not going to ask for Edward's.

"Thanks, I appreciate that, and so you know… I'm not trying to play games with Edward. I just need to figure out some things before I find myself in something I'm not ready for and end up hurting him. Plus, I really did mean it when I told him I didn't want to ruin our professional relationship or my credibility with the rest of the team. After their experience with Tanya, hooking up with _any_ of the players should be the very last thing on my mind."

Alice decides now is a good time to insert herself back into the conversation. "Whatevs, Bella. You're going to rock that shit and you know it. Jasper said your ideas are solid, and the buzz from the most of the team Friday night was that they weren't looking forward to doing girly shit but were impressed by the stats you presented. If you help the guys improve their record, they won't give a fuck who you… well, fuck." Alice signals overdramatic air quotes again when she says 'girly shit,' and I can't help but laugh at her.

"Okay, time to take the champagne away from the tiny person," I joke.

"Seriously, Alice," Rose agrees, "what's gotten into you today? I thought you could hold your alcohol better than this."

"Oh, please!" Alice exclaims. "I am not that bad. You two are just jealous because you ordered hot chocolate and a flat white instead of getting a little mid-morning treat!"

"Emmett gave me my morning treat before we came, thank you very much," Rose quips.

I can't help but laugh along with both girls, grateful the attention is off of me.

Now that the Kiwi Inquisition is over, we decide to pack up and head home. I want to spend a couple of hours going over my schedule for the next few days to make sure I haven't left anything out. Eventually, I'll be able to afford to make a mistake here and there, but I need to be in top form for the next several weeks. Before Rose leaves, the three of us agree to do something girly together Friday night, and Rose offers to bring me to some of the nearby volcanoes the day after.

Thinking over how much I enjoyed my day, I can't stop the smile on my face as I get ready for bed later that night. It's pretty apparent that everyone surrounding the team is a very close-knit group, and I worry again I'm getting myself into another situation similar to Jake's pack. I shake it off quickly; Edward is not bringing me into this group—they are my friends with or without him. It's a tiny step forward in my mindset, but I'll take what I can get.

My mind drifts to Edward as I snuggle under my covers, and I wonder how he's going to act around me tomorrow. He was a perfect gentleman even after I stopped our kiss the other night, but if he called Emmett to talk about it, he clearly had something to get off his chest, and if what Rose hinted at is any indication, he's definitely still interested in me. I know it's not the best idea for my heart, but I can't stop the images of our perfect kiss from playing over and over in my head as I drift off to sleep.

* * *

**A/N: A couple people have asked... this fic will be fairly short—around ten chapters give or take, and I update every Thursday—except next Thursday. Sorry! I'm leaving town that day to watch a certain movie with some awesome ladies and I'm selfish and don't want to miss review replies! I'll post a teaser on Facebook if you're interested, though.**

**Thanks to my girls: born, chaya, whiti, and yummy. You can't even begin to imagine how much better they make this. All errors are mine—I couldn't stop playing with it.**

**Recs (2 this week since I'm not posting next week): **_**Fiesty in Four Inch Heels**_** by MarLea Pie. I can't even with how hot this girl's writing is. French speaking Edward… 'nuff said. Course, she's left us with an evil cliffie after the last update but I bet some love would help sway her into writing it the way **_**I**_** want it! (Just kidding, bb!)**

**This is silly because it's absolutely ridiculous to think that anyone in the fandom is not reading Cara No. All of her writing is absolutely fabulous… but her current drabblish WIP is high-larious. Hoarderish Bella meets geeky Edward and it's disaster at first sight. She's wrapping up **_**White Picket What? **_**today or tomorrow I think so give it a try if you haven't already... Along with everything else she writes!**

**That's it! Reviews are love**** and I'd love to know what you think.**


	7. Chapter 6 - Better for Both of Us

**A/N: Happy (early) Thanksgiving!**

**I must thank Sandy Southern for inspiring a colorful line in this chapter… even though she's not reading this. *side eyes her***

**Disclaimer: SM's characters. Not mine.**

* * *

I'm a nervous wreck when I arrive at work the next morning. I'm also a chicken, so I time my arrival to avoid running into Edward on my way in the building. Besides, it's good to get to work forty-five minutes early, right?

I have six classes today, three before lunch and three after. Edward is in the third group which, of course, gives us plenty of time to chat after our session.

_Awesome_.

I briefly consider swapping him with someone in the second session, but I can't think of a valid, professional reason for making the change so late. Plus, when I really think about it, that would just feel like a tick in my failure column and my self-esteem can't handle any more of those right now.

I do my best to push Edward out of my thoughts and get ready for my day. My first official class is in thirty minutes, and with James in it, I need to make sure I have my shit straight.

oOoOoOo

Three hours later, I'm relieved when Edward walks into my Pilates room at the last possible minute before class starts, so we avoid any awkward greetings. My first two sessions went pretty well as I've been taking it relatively easy on them today—mostly stretching with only a few Pilates poses. Other than that, it's been all about educating the guys as much as possible.

Esme was right about James. He followed my instructions but made no effort to hide his displeasure in taking the class. I'm glad I got him out of the way first, because he helped me set the tone for the rest of the day. He questioned the purpose and validity of Pilates within the first five minutes, so the remainder of the class I was sure to explain each exercise in detail and exactly how it would help them excel in their particular positions if practiced regularly. He huffed and puffed the rest of the session but made no further comments.

I manage to start this class by rambling off some standard stuff about Pilates as Edward takes the spot next to Riley. We start out with some basic stretches, focusing mainly on the legs and spine. Once everyone is warmed up, we move into some standard beginner exercises starting with _The Hundred_.

"Okay, guys. Watch me move through the pose first, and then I'll help you. For the first pose, simply raise your legs and head off the mat, and reach to your toes with your arms and hold the pose." Once I've completed the pose, I help some of the guys as I explain which muscles are strengthened and how it's going to improve their skillsets.

Next, we move into _The Roll Over_, another abdominal exercise, and then right into the _One Leg Circle_, which gives their abs a small break.

Everyone is doing pretty well, and I've not had to make many adjustments; however, the next one is a bit more challenging. The _Open Leg Rocker _begins with both legs straight up in the air and hands grabbing as close to the ankles as possible.

"Next, you have to roll back onto your shoulders using your abs rather than momentum. It looks easy, but when done properly is anything but, and it's a real workout for your stomach," I explain.

It's also the first exercise that causes Edward to struggle.

Unwilling to let my personal feelings risk Edward's physical well-being, I make my way over after helping everyone else and push down firmly on his hairy calf, pressing my other hand against his back and rocking him back a little more. "Try to get here next time. If you go just a bit further, you'll really feel it."

His eyes widen a bit and he utters a quick, "Oof."

I reluctantly take my hands off his body and say, "Don't worry, you'll probably pick this up before I learn all those Kiwi-isms."

His eyes flash to mine and I see a faint spark there. I offer him a small smile and move back to the front of the class.

"Okay, the next position we are going to try is called _Rolling Like a Ball_. Since it's your first day, we're going to do a modification of this and work up." I lie down on the mat and curl my knees into my chest, lock my hands over my ankles to hold them in place, and bend my head to touch my knees.

"This is as far as we'll go today, but next week we'll move into the second position which is a bit more difficult," I explain, smiling as I hear a snicker from someone in my group.

Honestly, I'm not surprised. Any idiot can roll himself into a ball, but it's my job to make sure they learn the basics before moving forward so they don't hurt themselves on the field _or_ in here.

"Problem, guys?" I ask, not moving out of position.

Riley pipes up and not unkindly says, "No, ma'am. Sorry about that. I just didn't realize I'd been doing Pilates forever. I've been rolling into a ball since I was a kid."

Sometimes a cocky student is my best ally.

Without looking at Riley, I reposition my feet, inhale, and roll myself back on my shoulder using only my stomach muscles. I hold the pose for a moment, reposition my ankles again, and exhale as I roll forward, up and over my legs until my head touches the mat again. Then, for shits and giggles because they won't have any idea that this is even more advanced, I stretch my neck a little.

After rolling back into the first position, I lower my legs and finally look over at Riley.

"Have you done _that_ your whole life?"

Fortunately, Riley is good-natured and takes my ribbing with ease, and we finish the class with no further comments. I'm relieved to have pulled off one of my better sessions. Though I wanted to impress the entire team, there's a large part of me that needed to prove to Edward that I'm worthy of the faith he's already put in me.

Even if we are in a weird place right now.

Speaking of being in a weird place, I can feel Edward's presence behind me, and I'm suddenly back to being a bundle of nerves. I'd halfway hoped our brief moment where I made a little joke would clear things up between us.

Ha! I'm such a dreamer!

Knowing I owe him a better explanation than what I gave him Friday night, I take a deep breath and turn around.

Bad move. He's freakin' gorgeous, standing in front of me slightly sweaty with tousled hair and a tight, black Under Armor shirt clinging to every muscle on his well-defined chest and stomach. I know he catches me checking him out, but he simply waits for me to finish and doesn't say a word. You would think after spending the past hour with him like this, I'd be immune to the hotness. I don't think I will ever be unaffected by him though.

When I finally reach his eyes he's smiling, and once again, I smile back without even realizing it's happening. "Hey," he says softly.

"Hey, yourself," Clever, I know. I'm so nervous, I'm lucky I can string two words together.

"So, how was the rest of your weekend?" He's fiddling with the strap on his bag, but other than that, he's not giving anything away.

"Honestly, I've had better, but Alice helped me find a place to stay, and I got to know Rose over brunch on Sunday, so not too bad. You?"

"The same. I've had better, too, I mean. Listen, I really just wanted to apologize for everything that happened Friday night. I shouldn't have assumed or been so forward. It's kind of mortifying to admit this to your face, but I think you already know how much I like you, and I was hoping to get to know you better. I know I should apologize for that kiss, but I can't seem to find it in me to do that, so I'll stick with saying I'm sorry for making you uncomfortable. I get where you're coming from, and if you'll still give me a chance, I'd love it if we could be friends. No more IOU's. I promise," he says, winking at me.

This was _so_ not what I expected him to say. I know he's a great guy so I didn't expect him to pressure me, but I was not expecting any kind of declaration like this. I was prepared to ward off an apology and slide directly into awkwardness, not a non-apology and offer of friendship.

What do I do with this information? At the moment, I really just want to throw my arms around him and pick up where we left off the other night. I have an hour and a half for lunch… that _might_be enough time to finish what I want to do to this man.

I shake that idea out of my head and look down. "Don't be silly, Edward. You have nothing to apologize for…God that sounds so cliché, but it's true. I was right there with you the whole night, and I should have been more careful. I have some stuff going on that I need to work on before I start kissing guys in dark alleys, and I really do need to focus on my job right now. Regardless of how shitty my old life was, I upended it to come here for this job, and I can't have people thinking I'm just like Tanya and screw that up." I gather all of my courage and glance up at him. Taking a deep breath I finish, "Honestly, Edward, I never really thought you were that interested in me, and I still have a hard time believing it. I meant what I said the other night, guys like you don't really pay attention to girls like me. Part of me never really believed our flirting was heading anywhere."

He looks pained as he reaches out and runs one finger down my cheek. "Bella, there's no such thing as 'girls like you'; trust me. I've never met anyone as witty and caring and beautiful as you. I meant what I said, too. I'm here if you need me; I'll gladly be your friend if you'll let me."

Holy shit. I think I just swooned.

Thankfully, before I do something I regret—like grabbing his face and kissing him—he pipes up again and brings some levity into our conversation. "Although, now I really do expect you to throw me the lighter medicine ball since you broke my heart and everything."

I choke out a laugh—though I'm certain it's not nearly as cute as his—and automatically swat at his arm. I catch myself at the last minute and cringe.

"Of course, Edward. I don't deserve your kindness after the other night, but I'm not stupid enough to turn it down. Just give me a couple days to get over the mortification and she'll be right," I say, grinning at him.

His eyes widen and his entire face lights up with my favorite smile. It looks like he's bursting with happiness. "Look at you using a Kiwi phrase correctly! Sweet as! What's that, now? Two down…only about a hundred to go. We'll have you talking like a local by mid-season."

"I'm not so sure about that, but I'm getting there. I'm actually more frightened of the Maori words. A lot of the Kiwi phrases I can kinda work out in my head, dreaded lurgy excluded apparently, but that's a whole separate language!"

"COACHETTE BELLABOO! Where are you?"

As Emmett's jovial, teasing voice filters into my room, I'm a little taken aback to realize how relieved I am to hear it. I tried to ease my mind this weekend that he wouldn't treat me any differently after what happened, but hearing the proof brings a huge smile to my face.

Laughing, I holler, "Shaggy! We're in here!" Lowering my voice I turn back to Edward, "Do you two have each other chipped?"

"Funny girl. We're heading out to lunch. I told him I was gonna talk to you for a few minutes after our session, and he insisted on stopping by to see you." Edward rolls his eyes and does a fairly decent impression of Emmett, "_I gotta make sure Coachette and I are still cool after your dumb ass hit on her._"

"That's oddly very sweet. Why in the world would he think we weren't? I would think I'd have more to be worried about than him."

Edward doesn't answer but the look he gives me indicates we both know exactly why I may be hesitant to hang out with the best friend of the guy I'd just turned down.

Emmett barrels into the room and swoops me into a huge bear hug.

"What's doing, Coachette? This guy done sucking up to you yet? I'm hungry."

"Way to be subtle, mate," Edward mumbles as Emmett places me back on the ground.

"You know my theory, Kissin' Eddie—might as well call out the elephant in the room so we can get back to business as usual, and in this case, that would be lunch. You in, Bella?"

"Not today. I planned to use lunch to get ready for this afternoon. Maybe later this week though. Don't take me off the list, okay?"

"No worries. Your name is in permanent marker on the list. You should feel pretty good about that. Even Edward is only written in Crayola Washables." Emmett winks at me.

"If I'd known that, I would've washed my name off a long time ago and just eaten with Esme every day. It would've been a lot more peaceful and I'd have always gotten her extras," Edward points out.

"Whatever, mate. You'd be lost without me. Now let's go! I gotta get back here before one—I don't want Coachette punishing me the first day." Emmett offers me a fist bump before walking out swiftly, yelling over his shoulder, "See ya in an hour!"

Edward laughs and shakes his head. "Sorry about that. I promise no one else knows, but Emmett would've bugged the shit out of me until I fessed up."

"It's fine," I reply. "I told Alice and Rose, too. Plus, Emmett has a point; at least it's out of the way now."

"EDDIE! GET A MOVE ON, LOVER BOY!" Emmett screams from down the hall. He really has no shame.

"I'm gonna kick his ass one day. I don't care that he's got thirty kilograms on me. I'll see you tomorrow. Hope the rest of your day goes well." Edward gives me a shy wave and walks out.

I take a deep breath, grateful Edward had more courage than I did and glad the moment is behind us. Somehow, Emmett's statement of the obvious lightened the tension rather than turning everything awkward. All in all, I couldn't have asked for this to turn out any better.

oOoOoOo

I find myself in the stands Wednesday afternoon, soaking in Esme's play-by-play description of the game. I'd watched the backs during practice drills earlier today and was pleased I'd been able to keep up and follow along. It's an entirely different game with the whole team on the field and I can barely follow the ball at times. Other times, it seems like they just pile on top of one another, there's a lot of standing around and watching while the guys in the pile… do _something_, and suddenly the ball pops out, lands in someone's hands, and everyone takes off running again!

Esme's patient with me and answers my questions—even when I ask the same ones over and over again. She's in the middle of explaining the difference between a try and a conversion when someone on Edward's team pops out of the scrum with the ball. I crane my neck, trying to follow the ball as it's tossed in quick, successive passes down the field. When the defense tackles… whoever has the ball, Riley maybe, I'm certain both teams will have to duke it out in a big pile to see who gains possession. At the last possible minute though, Riley chucks it to Edward in a fancy-shmancy behind-the-back pass and the team keeps running.

Edward charges through a final defender to get into the end zone and touch the ball down between the goal posts. I'm so caught up in the play, I don't realize I'm holding my breath until suddenly I'm screaming my head off cheering for him. My cheeks flush what I imagine is a bright red as I sit down, but I grin and shrug my shoulders as Edward smiles and gives me a little two-finger wave.

Esme gives me a look and raises her eyebrows. "Excited Edward scored in this fake match, huh?"

I roll my eyes at her and reply, "I got caught up in the excitement of seeing my first try scored. Nothing more, nothing less. It had nothing to do with the fact that it was Edward who scored."

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

We continue watching the match, and by the end I have a preliminary understanding of the offense at least. The defense is still a big question mark to me, but I feel a lot better now.

Esme and I wait for the guys after the match, and unsurprisingly Emmett comes bounding right up to us.

"What'd you think, Bellaboo?"

"It was really exciting! I loved watching you guys run around out there," I reply honestly. "I probably annoyed Esme to death, but at least I have a good idea of how to keep you guys from getting injured."

Edward joins us, a huge smile lighting up his face, and it's obvious how much he loves playing the game.

Emmett wraps his arm around Edward's shoulders and tries to give him a noogie. After a quick tussle, Edward shoves him off muttering, "Fucker."

Unperturbed, Emmett grins at me and says, "Did you see this guy? You cheering him on after that first try must've really pumped him up. We're going to be unstoppable this year if he keeps this up. Six conversions and three penalties on top of his try and it's not even a real match! Not to mention the beautiful kick to the corner where Riley ran onto it and scored a try!"

I pretend to understand everything Emmett just said, when truthfully only half of it made sense. I return his enthusiasm but decide to tone down the embarrassing fact that I cheered so loudly for Edward.

"I hardly think I helped at all; I just got carried away seeing my first try. You know I'm out here to root for all of you boys!" I exclaim.

Emmett's eyes pop wide open in shock and Edward's face morphs into something akin to anger—scrunched-up eyebrows and lips twisted into a frown.

Oh-kay?

"All of you boys?" Emmett presses. "What about Edward?"

I glance over at Edward, but he looks away before I can determine why this is a big deal.

"Uhh… I mean, of course you guys are my favorites, but it's not like I can only root for you two."

"ME?" Emmett shrieks. He may sound a little like Alice. "I have Rosie!"

Again… Oh-kaaayyy?

At this point I'm as confused as a chameleon in a bag of Skittles.

Thankfully Esme steps in. "I think I can help here. Bella, what does root mean in America?"

Oh god—thwarted by another kiwi-ism.

"To cheer for someone. Why? What does it mean here?"

Emmett is already laughing and Edward is finally looking at me again, his face a mixture of relief and amusement.

"Well, you basically just insinuated you were going to try to have sex with everyone on the team. I'd stick to cheering when you're surrounded by Kiwis if I were you," Edward helpfully supplies.

It's too funny for me to be embarrassed, so I laugh right along with them until I look over at Edward again and find him studying me, a small smile on his face. That's when I realize how it must've sounded to him, and the anger I noticed earlier makes sense.

My laughter dies away instantly and I look in his eyes. "You know I'd never, right?" I ask.

He gives me a small nod. "Of course, Bella. I was just surprised for a minute. It's pretty damn funny, but I'm still glad none of the other guys heard you say that. You'd never live it down."

"She's still not going to if I have anything to say about it!" Emmett finally calms down to tease me further.

I toss a hand over my heart and feign surprise, "I'm shocked you wouldn't miss an opportunity to poke fun at me."

"Yeah, yeah… you can take it, Coachette. You're a tough bird. Now let's get out of here; I'm hungry and Rosie is cooking fish and chips for dinner. If I'm a good boy I'm hoping to talk her into making pavlova for dessert." Emmett winks and waggles his eyebrows at me. "You should come over sometime, Bellaboo. Rosie's food is the best and Eddie's over most nights. Ooh! We can watch old game footage and you'll be an expert in no time!"

I instantly recognize how closely this resembles a double date, but Emmett's hopeful face is too cute to turn down. Plus, I really do need to study game tape. "Sounds like a plan, Shaggy. Just let me know when," I reply, simultaneously looking forward to and dreading this seemingly innocent upcoming dinner.

oOoOoOo

"So, did you have fun last night?" Rose asks as we hike up Mt. Eden. At first the thought of hiking up a volcano made me a little nervous, but everyone assures me it's perfectly safe. My fears are ludicrous seeing as the North Island is covered in volcanoes, but growing up in the good ol' U.S. of A., volcanoes are rare and the basis of horror stories!

Plus, Rose promised me at least five times the thing is dormant and a gorgeous view of Auckland once we reach the top. Curiosity eventually won out and I'm so glad it did. It's a gorgeous Saturday and getting out for some fresh air is exactly what I needed after a long week cooped up in my Pilates room.

"Yeah, I had a blast. I can't even remember the last time I danced that much! Not to mention, everyone here is so friendly!"

Rosalie laughs and cocks an eyebrow at me. "Friendly would be one word you could use. Flirtatious may be more accurate though! Did you keep any of the phone numbers you got?"

"I haven't thrown them away, but I don't anticipate using them. Emmett sending you to do his dirty work?" I cock my eyebrow right back at her. The two haven't been very subtle around me, especially Emmett. He never misses a chance to build Edward up or finagle some alone time for the two of us.

Not that I'm complaining.

Not. At. All.

Edward and I were so engrossed with each other at lunch yesterday, laughing while I reminisced about breaking my friend's shower rod when I was drunk, I didn't even realize how long Emmett had been gone to the bathroom. That is until he came back and apologized, and I quote, "Sorry guys, took longer than I thought to drop the kiddies off at the pool. Did you two manage to find something to talk about while I was gone?"

So. Gross.

It made me realize though, that he'd excused himself to go to the bathroom—and been gone forever—every single time the three of us were together since Wednesday. Edward just shrugged me off, his cheeks tingeing pink as he shook his head, when I brought it up to him as we were walking out that night and Emmett ducked off again.

Like I said though—I'm definitely not complaining. Edward's interest and persistence over the past couple of days have helped to bolster my confidence. I'm starting to know, deep down, Jake's cruel way of ditching me was his problem and not mine. I was good to him and I didn't deserve the way he cast me off.

If only fixing my insecurities were as easy as knowing that. I can see a light at the end of the tunnel though, and hopefully with a little time to ground myself in my new life, I'll feel be able to give Edward the 'me' he deserves. Assuming he still wants me, that is.

I focus back in on Rosalie and try to catch up with what she said while my mind wandered.

"…know I'm curious, too. Besides, I already told him I wasn't telling him anything you said to me. If he wants to know that badly, he can ask you himself!"

"I know. I'm just teasing. Trust me; when I'm ready to go back into the dating scene, there's only one guy I'm set on doing it with right now. I just hope he'll still be interested."

"HA! I don't think you have anything to worry about there as long as you come around sometime in this decade… just sayin'."

"Stop, Rose," I huff, "it's not that bad. We hardly know one another."

"That's my point. I can't say too much without saying too much and I've kinda stuck myself in the middle here, but trust me when I say that Edward is really into you and not as a flavor of the month thing. Besides the fact that he hasn't been into that for a while, I've never once seen him put any effort into keeping a woman around. If he didn't think you were worth it, he'd just flit on to any of the other warm bodies waiting in line to have a chance at him."

"Well, thanks! Way to make me feel better about this whole thing!"

"I didn't mean it badly about you. I completely agree with what you're doing, and I think if you ever discuss it with Edward, he would, too. I'm just trying to help you understand—without repeating things that I've heard directly and going solely on observation," Rose side-eyes me here, "that Edward thinks you're worth waiting for and has no problem doing just that."

I get what she's saying and I appreciate it, but part of me still feels like shit for making this amazing guy wait around for plain old me. Between Edward bolstering my confidence this past week and the time I've spent thinking about my past and even talking it over with Alice a little, I'm starting to come around, but my insecurities haven't disappeared overnight. So as much as I wish it weren't the case, until I can think of Edward and me together without worrying how long it will be until he drops me, it's better for both of us if I keep Edward firmly in the 'friend' column.

* * *

**AN: Thanks Whiti, Yummy, Born, and Chaya for all their help. It's invaluable, truly. Special thanks to B for pushing me for more and Chaya for turning this around quickly so I didn't have to post late. Love you ladies!**

**Rec: **_**Lost Half**_** by lyricalkris is phenomenal. Bella is kidnapped after going on a blind date with someone she met through Edward's dating service. It's a hard read and not for everyone, but if you can stick it out and it's your thing, it's so worth it. Her writing is beautiful and she reaches out and grabs my heart in every chapter. Check out all of her stuff… I haven't gotten through it all, but her slash is nommy, too!**

**BD2 was awesome and more importantly I had a blast with my friends. I'm a lucky girl to have them. Sadly, between the trip, spending extra time with my family, and the holidays, I will have to skip another week of posting. I'm really sorry, but I'd rather get it right than rush through and post something I'm not happy with. Hopefully I'll be back on track after that though.**

**Reviews are love!**


	8. Chapter 7 - In This Moment

**A/N: I want to give a big, heartfelt thank you to everyone. I received a ton of love for this story over the past week. It's completely overwhelmed me. There are so many amazing stories out there and I'm so honored that you guys choose to read my words. I'm so glad you seem to enjoy them. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!**

**So… I'm posting early because I was already late and it was ready… it'll still be NEXT Thursday before I post again. I'm back on schedule though! Yay!**

**Love, hugs, and kisses to one of my favorite people, KK. Just because she's amazing.**

**Disclaimer: Not my characters (I get lazier each week with this)**

* * *

Monday morning arrives, and I feel refreshed and ready to tackle the week. I spent most of Sunday getting ready for my upcoming move. I've left out enough clothes and toiletries to get me through the week, but the rest of my belongings are packed in boxes and stacked in the corner of my bedroom. I didn't come to New Zealand with much, so I spent most of the day shopping online to ensure my new apartment is livable. I tried not to go overboard since I'm only supposed to be here a year, but I couldn't help buying a gorgeous orange comforter with large daisies embroidered in white to offset the light blue walls of my bedroom. I may have also purchased the accompanying draperies to match my bed and bathroom linens.

I should have known something would go wrong this morning considering how well my weekend went, but I'm caught off guard when James arrives to class over twenty minutes late. At this point he's missed all of the warm-up exercises, and there's no way I'm stopping the entire class for him to catch up.

Prepared for the inevitable backlash, I deliver the bad news. "James, we're too far into this session for you to join. Please come back and see me at the end of class, and we can figure out when you can make this one up."

"No need, _Bella_," he sneers out my name, "I'll do a few stretches and catch up."

"Actually, you won't," I reply patiently. "It takes more than 'a few stretches' to be ready for what we're doing right now. Come back when class is over, and if we can't work out a time for you today, I'll add you to one of the extra sessions I have with the All Blacks tomorrow."

"If it's all the same to you, I think I'd rather just skip a session this week," he challenges me. "It's not like rolling around on the floor is actually doing any of us any good. You can spout off whatever you like about how helpful it is for us, but everyone knows it's a cop-out exercise for lazy chicks so they can feel good about themselves and say they've worked out. Besides, I'm not really in the mood to see you and your boyfriend make googly eyes at one another."

I'm so full of rage I could spit fire. Even through the red haze filling my brain right now, I know I cannot lose my temper with this man. He's trying to rile me up, and I refuse to let him.

Well, I refuse to let him _know_ he's riled me up.

"If that's how you feel about it, then it's fine with me. I'll let Jasper know you'll no longer be in my sessions, and he can take it from there. Either way, you're not participating in my class right now, so please stop disrupting us and leave."

My blood is boiling and my heart is pounding as I turn back to continue our session. The guys are giving me sympathetic looks, but I don't want the remainder of class to be about pitying me, so I take a deep breath, chuckle, and roll my eyes for their benefit.

OoOoO

The rest of the class goes well—as do the following two—but my enthusiasm perished with James' vile words. With classes so close together, I haven't yet had time to compartmentalize what he implied. The dig at Edward and me was meant to piss me off, but instead it validates my primary reason for not dating him.

Through all of my confused thoughts and emotions, I knew I could overcome my insecurities. After all, at one point I was a confident, happy person. Jake slowly screwed with my emotions and changed how I felt about myself, but the past week I've felt more and more like the old me. While packing yesterday, I realized how much I've already accomplished in the short time I've been here—I have three amazing girlfriends in Alice, Rose, and Esme, and Jasper has told me more than once how well I'm doing in my job. Meanwhile, I've somehow managed to hook the biggest, goofiest faux big brother in Emmett, and I can confidently say _most_ of the team is responding well to my sessions.

Then, of course, there's Edward.

I'd all but decided I was an idiot for leaving him in the friend column after my chat with Rose on Saturday—not that I wanted to jump head-first into a serious relationship with him, but I didn't see the harm in a couple of dates, especially since being around him seems to be the best medicine for curing my insecurities. It's hard to remember why Jake made me feel like I wasn't good enough when Edward is staring at my lips like he can't wait for his next taste.

Before I can think further on the matter, I feel a light tap on my shoulder.

"Earth to Bella. Are you in there?" Edward teases me.

I turn and offer my best smile, though I can tell it falls short. Looking around the room, I see everyone else has left, and I'm sure Emmett will appear in a few minutes. After just one week, it's become our routine.

"Yep, sorry. I didn't really have the best morning. I'm kind of out of it," I say softly.

Instantly, his perfect face morphs into one of concern, and I want nothing more than to fold myself into him and let him comfort me while I bitch about what an ass James was this morning. "You want to talk about it? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine… it's just James. I was expecting his obnoxiousness after talking to Esme, but it still ruined my morning. He mouthed off in class this morning after not even bothering to show up on time. Not only did he completely insult my profession and women in general, he took a dig at you and me, too. I'm not looking forward to talking with Jasper about it, either."

I talk to the ground as I ramble, so I'm surprised when I feel him take my hand and pull me forward into a hug. My body melts into his, and I bury my face in his shoulder and try not to cry. I've been more angry than tempted to tears today, but it's been so long since I've been held by a man offering me comfort I'm a little overwhelmed, and I can feel the pricks of tiny tears at the corner of my eyes. It doesn't help that every bone in my body is screaming at me about how right this feels.

"James is an arse. Plain and simple. I hope you don't listen to anything he says, and you know Jasper is fair. He knows how obnoxious and uncooperative James can be, so don't worry about backlash from him," Edward soothes me.

I cling to Edward a moment longer, squeezing him tightly before letting go and backing up, thankful I've managed to keep my tears at bay. "I know, and I somehow managed to rein in my temper and politely asked him to leave my class instead of clawing his eyeballs out like I wanted. So even if I didn't handle it the way Jasper would have wanted, at least I was professional, which is more than I can say for James." I chuckle as I remember the rest of the class. "I think the other guys in there would vouch for me. They must've felt bad for me, because they really put in extra effort after that!"

"Ah! There's your smile. I hated that fake shit you gave me a few minutes ago… no more of that, okay?"

No, really. Could this man be any more perfect?

I don't have a chance to reply because Emmett bounds into the room, his usual grin eating up his entire face.

"Coachette! You're eating with us today. I'm not taking no for an answer. I want to hear all about your weekend," he says, scooping me up in a big bear hug.

"It was nice, Emmett. Now can you put me down?" I reply, knowing there's no point in struggling.

"Nice? What the fuck is that, Bellaboo? That doesn't sound interesting at all. Give me details, but not now. At lunch—I'm starving."

He still has my arms pinned to my sides when I laugh down at him, "Sorry, Emmett. I really am, but I can't do lunch today. I have to talk to Jasper. I was just telling Edward that James gave me some trouble in my first session this morning, so I need to figure out where to go from here."

"Trouble? What kind of trouble?" Emmett asks. "Do I need to kick his arse? No one messes with my Bel-_la_-tees!"

"Bellates?" Edward quirks his eyebrows.

"Yeah! Get it? It's Bella and Pilates combined! I came up with it on the way over!" Emmett raises a fist to Edward, who shakes his head and taps his own fist against Emmett's.

I can't stop the laughter that bubbles out of my chest. "I got it, Shaggy. You're very clever. Can you please put me down now? I'm starting to feel bad for Rose."

"Don't you worry about her. She likes it rough. Besides, between you and me, she wears the pants in our relationship," he whispers, as if it's a huge secret.

"You don't say? I'm totally shocked at that," I deadpan.

"All right, stop making fun of me and tell me why James just went to the top of my shit list. No wait! Edward, order in food to Jasper's office for all four of us. Bella, start telling me about your weekend. I told you I wasn't taking no for an answer today. Once we're all caught up, Eddie and I will leave you and Jasper to it, and Edward can fill me in on what James did to be a douche this time."

"You're impossible, Emmett. Really, you are. I'll tell you about my weekend tomorrow night at your house. Rose invited me over for dinner. Can you wait one more day?"

Edward laughs as Emmett pouts. "You're killing me, Smalls!"

"Yeah, yeah. You'll survive. Now go away, and let me get this over with." I push him toward the door to get him started.

Emmett's eyes widen for a moment before he scrunches up his face and points his finger at me, then silently turns and walks out of the room.

Edward is sporting a shit-eating grin, and I tilt my head in question pointing after Emmett. He laughs and replies, "You've finally put him in his place. He's not used to not getting his way. Nice work, Bella."

"I'm sure Rose does her fair share of it. He'd be impossible otherwise. I don't know how she ever tells him no! I already want to call him back and agree to his asinine plan."

"I HEARD THAT! MY PLAN WAS NOT ASININE! NOW GET YOUR ARSE OUT HERE, EDDIE. STOP FRATERNIZING WITH THE ENEMY. SHE'S BANNED FROM MY AWESOMENESS UNTIL SHE TELLS ME ABOUT HER WEEKEND. THAT'S HER PUNISHMENT FOR TELLING ME NO!"

"Oh god. Please let me eat with you and Jasper!" Edward whines.

"Sorry, sweetie," I tease, hip-checking him before gathering up my water bottle and towel. "You're on your own. Please do tell him I'm so looking forward to coming off punishment tomorrow though."

oOoOoOo

Tuesday night, I find myself sitting on Emmett and Rose's couch flanked by Emmett and Edward watching old rugby games. Rose refused to let me help her cook, insisting I let the guys school me in their sport. Like Esme, they're very patient, and I learn a lot more about defensive tactics. It still amazes me how much running these guys do. I'd always thought rugby was similar to football, but from what I'm seeing, it's closer in sport to soccer, except they use their hands to pass the ball. Oh and the scoring is completely differently. Okay, so maybe it's nothing like soccer; my point is, they run a lot!

Emmett hops up periodically to help Rose in the kitchen, though I'm pretty sure it's really to give Edward and me some time alone.

Of course, we take full advantage of the time to ourselves.

For instance, right now Edward's arm is draped behind me on the back of the couch as he quizzes me on random rugby stats that he knows I have no idea how to answer.

"Who won the Irish Guinness Rugby Writers Player of the Year in 2010?" he asks, twirling the ends of my hair around his finger.

"Seriously, Edward! That is so not fair! I don't know anything about the Irish players and you know it!" I huff.

"You didn't specify Kiwi facts when you agreed to the game. Now give me an answer, or suffer the consequences," he chides, though the glint in his eyes is obvious.

Willing to do whatever it takes to keep it there, I answer, "Sean O'Neill."

Before the words finish leaving my mouth, I feel a sharp tug of my hair indicating I've gotten the answer wrong. "Ouch! That one hurt!" I exclaim, backhanding his firm chest as I rub my now tender scalp.

"No whining! I wanted to play twenty questions…you're the one who suggested we physically abuse each other. Besides, when you completely make people up you deserve an extra hard tug. Who the fuck is Sean O'Neill?"

"I don't _know_! I picked two Irish names, shoved them together, and hoped for the best. So what's the answer? Do _you_ even know?"

"Easy… Tommy Bowe. Though I'll admit I wouldn't know the answer if I hadn't hung out with him one night after a test between the All Blacks and the Irish. He'd just won that title, and he was a fantastic wingman that night." Edward waggles his eyebrows at me.

"Cheater!" On instinct, my hand finds his nipple, squeezes, and twists the tender skin, eliciting a sharp cry of pain from Edward. Before I know what's happening, Edward has both of my wrists in his huge hand while his other dances up and down my side, prompting shrieks of laughter from me amidst pitiful pleas for him to stop.

"Sorry! What's that? I can't hear you!" Edward grins. "I do believe you initiated a tittie twister without getting a question right! As creator and all-time ruler of this game, I get to dole out punishment as I see fit!"

I'm squirming around, fruitlessly trying to get away from Edward, but he's just too strong for me. Finally, I manage to wheeze out, "UNCLE! Please stop!"

"Uncle? I'm sure as hell not your uncle, Bella!" Edward chuckles, his fingers still dancing along my sides.

"Fuck!" I gasp. My sides are starting to ache from gasping so hard. "It means, 'I give up!' Stop! Please!"

Mercifully, he does and I'm so worn out I can't do anything but flop back to catch my breath.

"How the hell does 'uncle' mean 'I give up?'"

"Hell if I know. There was probably some pervy old guy running around once upon a time pretending to be someone's uncle while he held him down and tickled him to death."

Edward's silent for a minute. "What? That doesn't even make sense!"

I can't help the laughter that bubbles out of my chest again. "You're right. I'm delirious from lack of oxygen thanks to you."

The sound of a throat clearing brings me back upright, and I look toward the kitchen to see Emmett and Rose standing together, matching grins on their faces.

I glance back at Edward and realize my right leg is thrown over his and his hands are gripping my calves possessively.

Looking back at our hosts I see Emmett open his mouth, but before he can say anything, Rose jabs him in the side with her elbow. "Dinner's ready," she says sweetly, then turns and drags Emmett back into the kitchen.

I pull my leg from Edward's lap and move to get up, but before I'm able to, he's standing next to me proffering his hand. My heart flutters at his gentlemanly gesture, and I let him pull me off the couch. Leaning into my ear Edward murmurs, "I bet you two hair tugs to one tittie twister Emmett doesn't let this die for at least four days."

I peek into my favorite pair of green eyes and smirk, "Deal… I'm betting he annoys us for an entire week, and no tickle retaliation when I light your ass up next Tuesday!"

oOoOoOo

I meet Alice and Rose for lunch on Thursday at Deve Brasserie, a quaint café near Eden Park. We order quickly, and the girls immediately bombard me with questions about James.

"What exactly did that fucker say?" Rose inquires. "All Emmett would tell me was you looked close to tears when he saw you Monday."

"Oh, I was, but not because of James. I mean, I was definitely upset about that, but Edward hung back after class and talked me through it. I was just so overwhelmed between James and my crazy emotions and insecurities and everything with Edward; I had a total girl moment and almost cried for no reason."

Alice interrupts, "Okay, we are coming back to the Edward thing, but finish about James first. Jasper said he was totally out of line, and he attacked you professionally and personally."

"Pretty much. He basically said Pilates was crap, he shouldn't have to do it, and he wasn't going to do it unless he felt like it. Then he insinuated all I do is stare at Edward when I'm supposed to be doing my job, which is ridiculous because he's not even in any of Edward's classes. Oh, and he also insulted the female gender as a whole. It was a super fun conversation."

Rose snorts at that and I give her a sharp look. "What's that for?"

"Trust me. He had no business saying any of that. When it comes to Edward though… well, I don't know how you are at work, but that's pretty much how things went down Tuesday night," she replies, grinning at me. "Oh, except for when we walked in on you two practically lying on top of one another on our couch. Your eyes were definitely closed then."

"WHAT!" Alice shrieks, then holds one finger up to Rose. "NO! One thing at a time. Finish with James… what did Jasper say, and _then_ you're telling me why I'm just now hearing about this thing with Edward!"

I can't help but laugh at Alice. I've barely seen her this week as she's been so busy with her job, and she's not used to being in the dark about much in my life. "Calm down. I told Jasper I didn't want to know what he said to James as long as it was taken care of, and I assume it was, since he showed up at the next session on time with his big fat trap shut."

Yes, I'm a bit smug. So sue me. I don't care. He was mean to me.

"Ugh, I never really liked him, but I had no clue he was that big of an arse." Alice takes a bite of her salad and shakes her fork at me, "You better not believe anything he said, missy. I'll kick your arse, too, if you let him bring you down again."

"No, I'm good. Edward gave me a hug and let me be all mopey, and by the time Emmett showed up, I was pretty much over it. I'm glad he stuck around so I could get it off my chest."

"Perfect segue," Alice singsongs. "Now, tell me what happened with Edward."

"Rose is exaggerating a little bit. We were not lying on top of each other on her couch at all," I explain. Rose side-eyes Alice and mouths, "They so were."

"_Anyway_, we were just being stupid playing some game he made up about rugby trivia. I felt he cheated at one point so I gave him a tittie twister; he retaliated by tickling me, and I may have accidentally thrown my leg over his lap trying to get away from him."

"Hmm… Yes, that's what she told me, too, but when Em and I walked in, there was no tickling going on, and she was lying down on the couch with her legs all over his lap." Rose studiously ignores me as she rats me out and takes a sip of water.

"I maintain my complete innocence! It's nothing more or less than I would have done with _your_ fiancé!" I defend myself.

"Then we may have problems, sweetcheeks. I know you and Em love each other and all, but if you two are looking that cozy when I'm not around, I'm coming after him first and then you."

Rose would actually be intimidating if everyone at the table didn't know how completely in love she and Emmett are with one another. I very maturely stick my tongue out at her and turn back to Alice.

"So, that's that. Nothing new on the Edward front. I will admit that I got the warm and fuzzy feeling all over when he hugged me Monday. _Aaand_ I've been thinking a lot this week about Jake and all the shit that happened with him, and I feel pretty good about letting it go. All this second-guessing and overthinking things is kind of exhausting. You guys are right. Jake's an ass and I shouldn't let his failures reflect on how I feel about myself. _Soooo_, thank you both for talking some sense into me over the past couple of weeks. Especially you, Rose; we just met, but right away you realized I wasn't trying to lead Edward on, and you've been nothing but supportive. I'm really thankful to have you guys as friends."

Rose gently bumps my knee with hers and smiles in acknowledgement while Alice squeezes my hand and says, "You said a whole lot of sappy stuff in there that I really love you for, but I'm focusing on the part about you being done with all this insecure bullshit. Does that mean you're going to give Edward a chance?"

"Ugh, I wish," I bemoan. Alice's face falls instantly and Rose straightens up, staring at me. "Don't get your panties in a twist. I'm not saying never, just not right now. You guys may think it's dumb, and I _know_ James had no business saying what he did, but I can't risk losing the entire team to his line of thinking by shacking up with Edward so quickly."

"No one's asking you to shack up with him, Bella. Just go on a date with him!"

"Semantics, Alice, and anyway, do you really think after one date with him we'd be able to hide our relationship in front of the team?"

I'm surprised when Rose sticks up for me. "She has a point there. They were practically radiating puppy love at our house the other night. Plus, if there's one thing I've learned about her, it's that she's stubborn as hell; you aren't going to change her mind, Alice."

I smirk at Alice and finish off the last of my chicken sandwich, thankful my point has been made. Besides, as much as I love them, these two are definitely _not_ going to be the first ones to know when I've lifted my dating embargo with the players! That honor belongs solely to one Edward Cullen.

oOoOoOo

Saturday arrives before I know it, and I find myself surrounded by Alice, Jasper, Edward, Emmett, Rose, Esme, and Carlisle. I literally have five boxes and two suitcases so there's no way I need all this help, but everyone was adamant about helping.

Plus, I get to meet Carlisle.

Esme is one lucky lady. Carlisle and Edward share the same strong jaw-line, though Carlisle's dimples make him look ten years younger than his thirty-eight years when he smiles. His blue eyes stand out against his dark hair and make me wonder if he's descended from the Black Irish. Aside from his good looks, the way he regards Esme is something worthy of a love story. In fact, every couple in the room oozes so much affection for their mate, I'm convinced there's something in the volcano ash here.

Ready to get the show on the road, I take charge to get everyone moving. "Okay, welllll… I guess one person gets a free pass, and everyone else can grab a box or a suitcase. Everything I ordered was delivered to the apartment yesterday, so at least we'll have more stuff to do there."

Emmett immediately touches his finger to his nose and yells, "NOT IT!"

Alice gapes at Emmett, "Seriously, Em? You're the biggest guy here!"

"Exactly! Which is why I need nourishment pronto. I'll order food while you guys pack up the cars. Rosie and I will stop by the store and pick up some paper plates to put the kai on and meet you guys there."

"Umm.. It's only 9:30, Emmett. We won't need to eat for another two or three hours," Carlisle points out logically.

Emmett cuts his eyes toward Carlisle. "Come on, Doc! You've been in the game long enough to know I can't go that long without food…especially after the workout Rosie pu… OOF!"

"Shut your mouth and pick up the big box, Emmett," Rose interrupts. "We'll stop by the store and grab some snacks and paper plates on the way to Bella's new place. That should tide you over until a normal lunchtime."

Everyone laughs as Emmett obediently follows Rose's instructions and we all follow suit.

OoOoO

Two hours later I can't wipe the huge smile off my face as I stand in my new apartment and take everything in. Esme and Alice are unpacking everything in my kitchen, so I'll have no clue where anything is later on, but I don't even care. Carlisle and Esme surprised me with a boot full of groceries. With my cabinets and fridge stocked, I'm ready to actually use my new kitchen appliances.

Carlisle is hooking up my computer and internet for me. Alice and I told him that was my number one priority, so he graciously volunteered; I can't go too long without talking to my girls, after all.

Jasper and Edward are changing out the drapes in my bedroom and Edward even offered to make my bed. Emmett and Rose are out getting food…of course.

I'm supposed to be unpacking my random knickknacks, but instead I take a moment to let it all sink in. I'm so drunk in my own happiness, I don't hear Edward approach, and I jump when he lightly tickles my sides.

"Hey! No more of that. I don't need to play twenty questions with Rose and Alice again if they catch us flirting," I admonish.

"Oh, really? I didn't realize we were flirting, Ms. Swan. Please tell me more."

I roll my eyes, but don't take the bait. Instead, I hold my arms out, gesturing around the room and raise my eyebrows, "Well, what do you think?"

"It looks great, Bella. I can't believe you snagged this place. It's so close to work; I might have to pop in for an afternoon nap sometime," he delivers with a wink.

"Mmhmm…I think I can live with that," I reply, smiling. I close my eyes for a moment and bask in the joy of doing this on my own. When I open them again, Edward is looking at me as if he's just snorted some of that magical volcanic ash.

"Sorry, didn't mean to ogle you again," he apologizes. "We both know where that leads, and I did promise."

Instinctively, my hand reaches for his, wanting to offer him the same comfort he gave me earlier this week. He must realize how strong my feelings are for him.

Before our fingertips touch though, the front door swings open and Emmett walks in carrying three huge bags of food with Rose right behind holding two more.

"LUNCHTIME! Get your arses to the kitchen table. We're breaking bread for the first time as a family in Bellates' new apartment!"

I drop my hand to my side, the moment broken, but still grab Edward by the shoulders and pull him in for a quick, but tight, hug. "Thank you for everything. It means so much to me," I whisper.

I want to die when his arms wrap around my waist and squeeze back. "No worries, Bella. You know I'd do anything for you."

And in this moment, I finally do. I realize how stupid I've been by keeping Edward out. I needed the time to work through my issues, but maybe I would've caused fewer hurt feelings all around if I'd been up front with him from the beginning.

In this moment, I realize Edward Cullen is worth all the risks—he's worth the risk of losing respect from some of the teammates and messing up a job I moved halfway around the world to take; he's worth the risk of not knowing what happens to us if I have to leave in a year; and he's worth the risk of a broken heart.

In this moment, I decide my life is better off with Edward in it for however long he'll have me, consequences be damned.

And I can't wait to let him know.

* * *

**A/N: AWWWW! YAY! NGL… kinda my favorite chapter so far. So… next chapter is EPOV and leads up to/includes the prologue. SQUEE! Also, I've said this will be about ten chapters. I lied. I'm extending it. Edward has a story to tell as well, and he finally convinced me to write it down.**

**Thanks to my pre-reading team—whiti, yummy, chaya, and born. They are the bestest of the best and I luffs them.**

**Recs: Thank Edward Ladyeire Author has a thing for men in kilts! She's posting her second kiltward drabble, **_**Under the Master's Kilt,**_** and it's so fantastically amazing. Go Read.**

**This is another silly one because I don't see how anyone hasn't read this yet. **_**Pound of Flesh**_** was the first fanfic I really and truly and deeply fell in love with back in the day. Jaxon22 tells a heartbreakingly beautiful story about two people that were meant to be together from the very first moment they met. She may have one or two f-hot lemons in there, too. ;) She just started a new story, too. Check her out!**

**Thanks again for all the love!**


	9. Chapter 8 - You're Mine

**A/N: FIRST – a belated, huge THANK YOU to Shahula Fics for making a new banner for **_**Try**_**. It's brilliant and I love it… hard. It can be found in my Facebook group! Of course, my usual thanks to all of you guys. I can't even tell you how much I appreciate it.**

**Disclaimer: Not mine!**

**(Don't forget this is EPOV...)**

* * *

Ever since I moved out of Carlisle and Esme's house, it's been tradition for us to have lunch together every Sunday and spend the afternoon catching up. Of course, since I see Esme most days, it's mainly Carlisle and I talking while we watch television. Even when I first started playing rugby professionally and was a wild shit, I always showed up to Sunday lunch. I never forgot, and never will, that they opened up their hearts and home to me without hesitation when I showed up on their doorstep fourteen years ago.

I can tell Carlisle has something he wants to talk about, but rather than push, I wait him out and soon enough he goes in for the kill.

"So, Bella seems like a nice girl." He takes a sip of his beer.

"He says oh-so-subtly," I reply with a grin, tipping my own bottle back.

"Well, it's not like you two were very subtle yesterday. Is it always like that?"

I rub the back of my neck with my hand and think back to yesterday. Bella was absolutely right when she said we flirt. Once we overcame the initial post-kiss rejection awkwardness, we fell into an easy, flirtatious relationship, constantly feeding off one another. I swear this girl makes it effortless to be around her, but even with the chemistry between us, I can feel the walls she keeps up. There are moments she let her guard down and just lets herself be the carefree, spunky girl she is, but they never lasted long enough, and she inevitably ends up pulling back and folding into herself.

Until yesterday.

I walked into her new living room to find her standing there looking happier than I'd ever seen her.

She was fucking gorgeous.

When she hugged me, I was sure she was going to pull away and put those damn walls back up, but to my surprise she didn't. In fact, she rarely left my side the rest of the day.

Not that I'm complaining—not one bit.

The casual touches she'd been stopping in mid-air were given freely and with a twinkle in her eye—like she knew a secret she couldn't wait to tell. She shocked the shit out of me that afternoon when she ran up behind me and jumped on my back, clinging to me like a little spider monkey and squealing, "Oh my god! It's really mine! I can't believe I live here!"

Like I said, she's fucking adorable.

Fortunately, I managed to not embarrass myself by falling over, and I carried her into her living room area with everyone else. She insisted I take the only open seat available and plopped down on the floor right in front of me, leaning back against my legs as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

So, I guess the answer to Carlisle's question is pretty clear. _Is it always like that?_

"Sorta."

"Sorta?"

"Yeah, sorta." I take another pull of my beer. "I mean, definitely that morning. She's amazing, you know? She's always like that with everyone…open and honest and funny. We definitely have a playful energy between us most of the time, but it uh… _increased_ maybe… after lunch, I guess."

"Well, thanks for clearing that up for me, bro," he replies.

I can't help but laugh. It's been a while—and I mean a long while—since we've had any reason to discuss women. Once I was old enough to really get serious about someone, the fear of turning into my dad was too horrifying for me to pursue anything long-term. Lucky timing meant no one questioned my actions, and I became the famous, womanising rugby player that every woman wanted to tame. Since this chauvinistic lie was more appealing to me than the truth, I let people think my popularity had gone to my head and lived the lie. Carlisle and Esme knew of course, and I'm pretty sure Emmett suspected, but I know they'll take it to the grave.

When I really stop to think about what's happening between Bella and me, it's a little startling to realise I've become so enamoured with her so easily, and even more disconcerting to acknowledge that my fear of commitment is nearly non-existent. While part of me screams that it's all the more reason to protect myself, the bigger, louder part is telling it to shut the fuck up.

"I don't know, C. I like her. A lot. She's hot, she makes me laugh, she doesn't want to be with me because of my name or how much money I make—in fact, my job is pretty much a hindrance. I can't get her out of my fucking mind, and it scares the shit out of me."

"Well, if there was one thing Dad did right, it was love Mum."

"Don't remind me."

"I'm not sticking up for the guy, believe me, but he adored Mum. I didn't get it—that all-consuming love—until I met Esme, and what you just told me about being scared shitless…it's the same feeling I _still_ have when it comes to her. Every day. I'm telling you though, it's the best feeling in the world and worth every obstacle when you realise your woman has the power to snap you like a twig, but would rather walk over hot ash than give you the piece of burnt toast."

Snorting, I glance at my brother who manages to love his wife completely without turning his back on the rest of the world. "So, you're saying I better start packing up the day Bella burns my toast?"

"Not at all, Edward. I'm saying you'll never have to worry about Bella burning your toast. I saw it in both of you yesterday. You'll be eating perfectly browned toast for the rest of your life, bro. Don't take it for granted."

I slump down in my seat and play with the label on my bottle as I consider Carlisle's words. The weight settles in and I can't help but smile like the motherfucking Cheshire cat at the thought of sitting across the breakfast table from Bella for the rest of my life. Hell, I'd even be happy eating the burnt toast if it meant she'd be there.

As if that image weren't enough to bring a smile to my face, I can barely stop myself from jumping up on the chair and fist pumping the air. Carlisle not only notices how much I care for Bella, but he also thinks she feels the same for me.

Hell-fucking-yes!

oOoOoOo

I sneak up behind Bella after class on Tuesday and gently tug her ponytail. She automatically reaches behind her to stop the nuisance, but I can tell the instant she realises what's going on by the slump in her shoulders.

"Ah, ah, ah," I scold and wag my finger at her. "You agreed to the terms, which means I get one more hair pull and no pouting from you."

"I never said I wouldn't pout! I can't believe Emmett let this go so quickly! Honestly, I figured he'd bring it up until the next time he found us in a compromising position."

"Next time, eh?"

"Oh, shut up and get it over with, please. You're just drawing out the torture."

Bella's words are harsh, but her tone is teasing so I decide to take it one step further. "If you're that upset about it, I'm willing to offer a fair trade."

"Oh yeah?" I can tell her curiosity is piqued. "Tell me more."

I twist her locks around a couple of my fingers, teasing her before saying, "I'm more than happy to give _you_ the tittie twister instead!"

Bella's eyes widen as she doubles over in laughter, smacking her hand against my chest in the process. Damn, that's the best sound I've heard in a long-ass time.

"Nice try. Pull my damn hair like a first-grader, so we can be done with this," she huffs. "God, I hate losing."

I grin down at her and gently tug on her hair, and she rolls her eyes at me, knowing I let her off easy.

"Don't be too upset, Bella. I've known Emmett way longer; you shouldn't really bet against me when it comes to him."

"Hey, lovebirds. What's this about you two betting on me? There's plenty of the Emminator to go around!" I cringe, wishing I'd kept my mouth shut, when Emmett interrupts our conversation and throws his arm over Bella's shoulders.

Bella laughs as she hip checks Emmett. "Nice to see your modesty is at an all-time high, though I'm a little mad at you. I can't believe you already stopped teasing us about the other night. I figured you'd be insufferable for _weeks_!"

Emmett's face becomes serious and he glances at me. "Come on, Coachette. You asked me to stop, so I stopped. Simple as that," Emmett replies, actually managing to sound sincere. I'm kind of impressed.

"Well, that's sweet, Em, but next time, try listening to me when Edward and I _aren't_ betting on how long we have to endure your ribbing." Bella turns to gather her things as realisation dawns on Emmett.

"The fuck, dude?"

Busted.

Bella spins around to see what the commotion is about while I look at the ground, wishing I could sink into the tiles.

"Shit."

Yep, that's all I can come up with right now.

"What'd I miss?"

Emmett doesn't hesitate to rat me out to Bella. "Casanova over here bribed me to lay off the jokes by telling me every little detail about what happened. How'd you think I knew so much about it?"

Bella's wide eyes turn to me, and I've never been so thankful to see them dancing with mirth.

"Oh, really?" she asks. "Isn't that convenient?" I can tell the instant her payback pops into her head because her eyes light up while she claps her hands and jumps a little. To be honest, she looks a little crazy right now. "Well, as _co_-creator of our fun little game, I think it's only fair _I_ get to dole out punishment as I see fit this time!"

"Shit." It's still all I got.

"You should totally give him two tittie twisters, Bellates. One on each nip; make him suffer," Emmett supplies helpfully.

"I couldn't agree more," Bella grins. "I think it's only fair, though, that since he brought you into his little scheme, you should get to dole one out to him, too."

"Fuck."

At least I've graduated from shit.

Emmett looks like he's just won the lottery as he rubs his hands together and nods his head like an overgrown puppy. "Hells yeah, Bellabell! Good point!"

There's no point in arguing my defence so I man up and poke my chest out a little. I don't even have time to hold my breath before two very different sets of fingers are pinching and twisting my nipples through my shirt. "FUCK!"

I shove Emmett's hand off of me and clutch my chest. "You're gonna bruise me, fucker!"

He just grins and shrugs his shoulders at me. "That's what you get for scheming against Coachette, Crayola. You don't mess with my people in permanent marker."

"I'll remember that next time you ask me for help with Rose," I reply dryly.

"Totally different, mate. Rosie and I have been together forever. You two are like a little flower bud just starting to blossom in the spring. You can't start that shit out with deception, bro."

Bella bursts out laughing at Emmett's antics, "You are so full of shit. I can't believe you gave up weeks of torturing me just to find out what happened, by the way. You're such a girl! Now, can you guys get out of here, please? I actually have work to do, and you two have a game to get ready to win, you know?"

Emmett points a finger at Bella and says, "I'll remember that ungrateful attitude next time he comes to me to plot against you."

Bella points a finger right back at him and replies, "Okay!"

It's my turn to laugh as Emmett walks out shaking his head. Sheepishly, I look at Bella and offer my best smile. "You're not really mad, are you? I'm pretty sure I would've caved and told you eventually anyway."

"Of course not. I actually feel kinda bad for what Emmett did. Are you okay?"

"I'll be fine. I've had much worse on the field, though I wouldn't say no if you wanted to kiss it better." I exaggerate my wink and smile so she knows I'm joking...sort of.

Bella's face falls slightly, but her smile remains in place as she murmurs, "Oh, Edward," then kisses her fingertips and lightly presses them against my chest. "You better go. I don't need to be distracting you this week. We have some Chiefs' ass to kick on Friday!"

"Hell yeah, we do! I'll catch you later this week, and Bella…you're always a welcome distraction," I add before walking out the door.

oOoOoOo

The week flies by and suddenly it's Friday afternoon. I've barely seen Bella all week as Coach pushed us hard Monday through Wednesday, leaving me with no energy to do anything but crash at the end of the day. We had yesterday off but spent it watching some old game footage of the Chiefs.

The ache in my chest indicates how much I miss being around Bella and makes me feel like a pussy even though I've seen her every day. It's just not the same when we're surrounded by half the team, and all intimate touches are strictly off-limits.

It also doesn't help my mental well-being that every day I overhear another guy in the locker room say how hot she is in those damn skin-tight yoga shorts. It makes my eye twitch, and I want nothing more than to claim her as mine in front of every fucker here. In fact, there's not much I wouldn't give to see her walking around in front of everyone wearing my jersey.

Bella, of course, is oblivious to it all. She doesn't see their eyes linger on her arse when she walks away after assisting them in class. She doesn't notice how their jaws drop when she somehow twists into a pretzel as she shows us more complicated exercises. She's ignorant of the way some of them stare at her like lovesick puppies simply because she's given them an "attaboy."

Not that I'm any better, mind you. My cock swells whenever she's within three metres of me, and when she touches me…forget about it. Even if my brain somehow manages to forget one day what it's like to hold her and kiss her, my dick, sure as shit, isn't forgetting.

I'm dying for a few minutes alone with her before our match tonight, so I head over to her office after our final team meeting before game time with the single goal of wrangling a spot on her schedule this weekend. I don't want to push her into something she isn't ready for, but maybe if we do something with Alice and Jasper, it won't seem like a date, and we can still get to know each another better.

I stop short when I see Riley sitting on her desk. He's way too close to invading her personal space for my liking, but Bella doesn't appear to mind.

I can't hear what they are talking about and have no desire to know, so I quickly turn and head in the other direction, willing myself not to overreact. The last thing I need to do right before our first match is allow a fit of jealousy to affect my game.

I try to calm down by reminding myself that I don't really know what is going on in there. Regardless of what it is, I need to push it aside and deal with it later. My focus right now needs to be on defeating the Chiefs in our season opener, a home game no less.

Bella Swan's love life will definitely be a consideration for post-game Edward, though. Of that, I'm sure.

oOoOoOo

Thankfully, Bella is nowhere near my thoughts when I'm on the field. My head is in the game, and it shows when I run the ball over the try line and touch it down for my first score. As always, the roar of the home crowd pumps me up and urges me to run faster and pass more efficiently. When I score my second try—the last of the game—I'm so ready to see Bella and celebrate, I forget I had cause to be jealous and rush through my post-game interviews so I can change and make my way over to The Kingslander.

My mood buoys even further when I see Riley hitting on some girl as we make our way to the restaurant. I can't help but smirk to myself when she blows him off and keeps walking with her friends once we reach the bar.

Unfortunately, I gloated a little too soon. As I plop down in the seat next to Bella and offer her a smile, Riley lands on her other side, puts his arm around her, and immediately starts bragging about how good he was tonight—permanently erasing my smile and my good mood.

I admit he played well tonight, but rugby is a team sport, and it'd be nice if he shared some of the credit. His recent attention toward Bella aside, I like Riley well enough. He's a brilliant player and most of the time a good teammate, but he's young and cocky and that can wear on a person after a while.

My attention snaps back to Bella when I hear my name, and I can't help but smile when she praises me. Before I can thank her, Riley steals her attention again, and I'm left feeling the same way I did standing outside of her office earlier. Realising I can't get into a brawl over Bella in the middle of our team celebration, I suck it up and turn my attention to Emmett and Esme.

As the night wears on, Riley becomes increasingly more handsy with Bella, and while she's not reciprocating, she's not pushing him away, either. I briefly consider doing it for her, but decide that'll get me nowhere fast. I manage to stay in control until he leans in and his lips touch her skin as he whispers something in her ear.

My thoughts of late notwithstanding, I'm typically not a jealous person, but seeing his lips touch her skin fills my body with rage. Without even realising I'm doing it, my fist slams down on the table as I ready myself to stand and leave. Since my eyes never left Bella, I didn't notice the almost empty appetizer tray in front of me, and I'm helpless as I watch it fly into the air and flip dark red sauce right onto my shirt.

Fucking hell.

What did I do to deserve this night?

Before I can limp away with my wounded ego, I hear Bella say, "Oh my gosh. Are you okay? What happened?"

"Uh…yeah, no big. I guess my hand slipped and knocked the plate over."

She dips her napkin in her water glass and hands it to me. "Your shirt is going to be ruined. What a shame…I love how it looks on you. Here, maybe you can keep it from staining if you get it fast enough."

I ignore Bella's compliment, not really in the mood to overthink it, and clean as much of the dip off as I can, but it's clear the shirt is ruined. I'm relieved this offers me the perfect excuse to bail out and head home. There's no way in hell I'm sitting here a minute longer just to watch Riley try to mac all over Bella.

I'm too dumbfounded to put words together when Bella asks, "Do you mind if I walk with you? I'm ready to head out, too. It's been a long day." So I simply nod and turn to say goodbye to Emmett and Esme.

Emmett, who has been shooting me sympathetic glances all night, is wearing his perpetual shit-eating grin when we set a time for our run tomorrow. I wish I held as much optimism about the remainder of my night as he obviously does.

I turn to see if Bella's ready, and my anger surges again when Riley kisses her on the cheek. She's looking down when she turns and runs smack dab into my chest but backs away from me as quickly as possible.

Riley offers his hand as he says, "Take care of our girl, mate."

I bite back a snarky response and snap out a curt, "Will do," ready to get the fuck out of here.

_Our_ girl. Just the thought leaves a bitter taste in my mouth, so I quickly make my exit before I end up turning this into a pissing contest.

I'm not at all in the mood to deal with fans right now, but I know there's no way around them without being rude. Still, I search for the clearest path to the door before walking through the main dining room, and thankfully I'm only stopped a few times. Bella's waiting for me at the door, and I'm almost free and clear when several women grab me and pull me in for pictures. They're doing a brilliant job of ignoring my rebuff when I feel a hand slink into mine.

I peer down at Bella as she looks directly at the women propositioning me and says, "Ready to go home, sweetie?"

Well, it seems she's just full of surprises tonight, and never has there been a more welcome one than now. I'm no fool, so I take full advantage, pulling Bella even closer and wrapping my arm around her. "Sure am. It was nice meeting you, ladies. Thanks for your support."

My hackles rise again when I hear one of them murmur, "Bitch," but I relax slightly when I feel Bella's hand leave my waist and press into the top of my back.

Yep, I'm pretty damn sure she just flipped them off.

Relieved she didn't take their catty bullshit, I pull her closer and whisper, "Did you just give them the finger? I am shocked, Bella Swan. Here I thought you were so good and innocent."

Her laughter makes me smile, but it grows even wider when she replies, "Shush, you. I never said I was innocent or good. They had no right to call me a bitch. You were clearly uncomfortable, and it's not my fault they couldn't take a hint."

I'm not ready to let her go when we get outside, so I don't.

With her snuggled into my side, resting her head on _my_ shoulder, suddenly my insecurities about Riley seem pretty ludicrous. Knowing it will irritate me the rest of the weekend if I don't, I decide to man up and ask Bella about Riley as we reach the entrance of Eden Park.

I'm pleased when Bella offers me a spare shirt from her office so I don't have to force the issue in a hasty goodbye. I clear my throat to get her attention and quickly spit out, "This is kind of awkward but… is there something going on with you and Riley?"

It's even more awkward with my arm still around her, so I reluctantly put some distance between us and continue, "I mean, it's fine by me, obviously, if there is."

_It's totally not._

"It's not like I have a say in the matter."

_I definitely want one._

"I just thought you'd said no to me because of the whole trainer issue and wanted to let you know you can just tell me the truth."

_Please don't like him._

"If you're not interested, it's fine, just don't feel like you have to lie."

_Shit, that was too harsh._

Bella hinted she had her own past to deal with before she could move forward, but she doesn't realise I have my own issues left over from all the shit that happened with my dad, so I may understand what she's going through more than most. I know she and Esme are close, so there's a good chance Bella knows I moved in with her and my brother when I turned fourteen, but I doubt she knows why. Esme's not one to spill secrets that aren't hers to tell.

I start to unbutton my shirt in a lame attempt to not look Bella in the face, but it's impossible not to when she stills my fumbling fingers. Her eyes are bewildered, and she has a tiny smile on her face. "There's nothing between Riley and me. I'm not sure if _he_ knows that. Tonight was the first night he's ever really shown any kind of interest in me. But that's the reason I wanted to leave. I didn't want to lead Riley on, but I didn't think that was the appropriate time to get into that conversation."

"Oh, okay. Well, that's good I guess. If I can't have you, I'm glad he can't either… nor anyone else on the team, so don't go changing your no dating policy anytime soon, okay? I'm not sure I could take it." Way to be cool, mate. Way to be cool.

Bella leaves her hands on mine as she steps closer to me and says, "Actually, I'm thinking of maybe breaking those rules, anyway. The girls may have convinced me I'm being a bit unreasonable since I've already gotten in the team's good graces. So, really I wanted to get away from Riley because I knew it wasn't fair to start something up with him when I already have feelings for someone else."

My heart flips into overtime at her words!

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah."

I pull her closer, and when her hands slide up my chest and onto my biceps, I can't help but relish the feel of her body against mine again. Still, I have to be sure.

"Bella… I'm feeling pretty good about my next assumption, but for the sake of me not making an arse out of myself with you… again… can you please let me know who that person might be?"

"Well, it's someone you know very well. I was actually hoping you could put in a good word for me, and let him know I'm tired of staying away from him. If he wants me… he can come and get me."

I can't stop the horribly unattractive snort that comes out of my mouth. "Oh, I doubt that last part will be a problem. I'm pretty sure he'd take you across this desk right now if you'd let him."

"Mmm… sounds perfect." I want to groan when her eyes close and she smiles as if she's picturing us on the desk. "So, if you could just go find Emmett and put in a good word for me, and then distract Rose with your fine ass, I'll get right on that with him."

Now the Pilates instructor is a comedian, it seems!

"You little tease! You're in for it now. I hope you were serious about that desk sex."

I grab Bella and push her against the wall, crashing my lips against hers. My hand automatically finds the firm arse that's been torturing me seven days a week and pulls her hips flush to mine, and my eyes roll back in my head when her fingers find purchase in my hair and tug.

I kiss her hard and deep, trying to make up for lost time. Finally, when I can bear a moment of separation, I pull my mouth away from hers long enough to say, "God, Bella. Don't ever make me wait that long to kiss you again." Before she has a chance to reply, I'm kissing her again while my hands explore every curve of her body.

When Bella pushes my stained shirt off, I finally gain control of my senses and break our desperate kiss. This woman is far too important for our first time to be a quick fuck on her desk. She deserves the best and to know how important she is to me.

Hell, she at least deserves a bed and some privacy.

Still, as she runs her hands down my back, I can't seem to stop myself from grinding against her, making no mistake about how much I want her.

"You better stop me now if you don't want this to go any further. I've kept my distance from you for three weeks. I won't be able to stop myself once I finally touch you," I say, trying unsuccessfully to withhold the raw desire from my voice.

I'm convinced she's trying to put me in an early grave when she pulls me closer and licks up my neck. "God, no…please don't' stop. I want you."

I tilt my head, revelling in the feel of her warm, wet tongue on my throat and practically growl as I imagine what it'll feel like wrapped around my rock-hard cock.

"I've wanted you since the very first moment I saw you in the car park. You were so hot. Your back…your fucktastic hair…your face…and then, when you opened your mouth…and I heard your voice for the first time, I thought I would have to change my panties before I met with Jasper."

Bella's words and kisses drive me over the edge of a cliff, and before I know it, I've spun her around and lifted her onto her desk. Gathering what little self-control I have left, I ask one more time. If we do this here, right now and Bella ends up regretting it, I will never forgive myself. "Are you sure, Bella? A hard desk isn't exactly the most romantic place for our first time."

As usual, she surprises me with her cheeky response.

"Our first time, huh? You expect a repeat then?"

I expect a repeat tonight, to be honest.

"I can pretty much guarantee it."

"Then we have all the time in the world for romantic. I've had romantic. I want you…now." She pulls me closer and kisses me, sealing her fate for the next forty-five minutes.

Who am I kidding? I've jacked off to fantasies of her so many times, I probably won't last five minutes.

Determined to do my best to make it good for her though, I slip her shirt over her head and take in her beauty as she swiftly removes her bra. Unable to stop myself once her bare breasts are in sight, I lean down to suck one into my mouth. Her roaming hands and breathy whimpers spur me on, and I move to her other nipple, not wanting to leave any pebble unlicked.

I stop Bella when her hands reach for my jeans. There's no way my dick will be patient once he's free, and there's no way I'm not getting her off first, so the only solution is for her to get naked first.

"Uh-uh. You first. Lift up." I pull her shorts and panties off in one swift move, impressing myself with my mad skills. "I promise this is going to be so good. Just tell me what you want, and I'll make it happen." My lips find her neck as I continue to mumble words of adoration, "Your skin is so smooth, I could touch you all day and never grow tired of it."

I think I could go the rest of my life without removing my mouth from some part of her perfect body. I smile at the thought as my hands move toward her warm centre.

I waste no time slipping my thumb between her wet lips and massaging her clit. Unable to take the suspense any longer, I tear my lips off hers and look down at her pretty, pink pussy. She's so wet, and I can't wait to taste her. I peek up into her eyes, and the raw wanton desire I see there urges my fingers into her slippery pussy. I bite my lip and look back down as I feel her warm juices coat my fingers.

Bella wraps her arm around my neck for support while I fuck her with my fingers. I focus on her G-spot while simultaneously rubbing her clit, causing her eyes to pop open in surprise as she screams, "Holy FUCK, that's it!"

My dick is yelling at me to let him out when Bella's orgasm takes over, and she grips my arm, locking it in place, and pants, "Don't stop, don't stop, don'tstopdontstopdon'tSTOP!"

I don't even notice the pain in my shoulder from her fingernails, until she finally stops trembling and settles back on the desk.

That was, hands down, the sexiest fucking thing I've ever seen in my life.

"Fucking hell, Bella. Just wait until it's my cock inside of you."

My dick rejoices when I finally grab a condom out of my back pocket and shove my pants down. Wanting her touch more than a starving man wants food, I take her hand in mine to place it around my cock. It feels like heaven when her firm grip strokes up and down my hard shaft, and I can't last another minute without knowing what it feels like to be inside of her.

I make quick work of the condom and wrap my arms around Bella to support her body. I have a feeling this is not going to be slow or gentle.

"You better hold on, baby."

My restraint may be waning, but I'm not an animal, so I sink into her slowly, not stopping until our hips are flush. I'm overwhelmed when Bella's legs lock behind my back, pulling me even deeper into her. It feels perfect, and I'm in no rush to start moving and end this moment.

"Damn, you feel…_fucking_…incredible, Bella." I squeeze her arse and rest my forehead against hers to peer into her eyes. As soon as I see my desperation reciprocated in her chocolate orbs, my dick takes over, and finally I pull back and thrust right back into her.

I set a punishing pace and hope like hell I won't end up embarrassing myself, but from the sounds Bella's making, I'm thinking I can bring her over the edge once more. I quickly find her clit again as she moans and mumbles incoherently.

"Do you like that, Bella?" I slow my thrusts and pull her body closer to mine so I can whisper in her ear. "Do you want me slow and deep while I play with your pretty little clit?"

Unable to stand the slow tempo, I increase my pace again and push her down on the desk. I move her legs over my shoulder and lean over her, folding her incredibly flexible body in half and subsequently reaching that same rough spot that made my girl sing earlier.

"Or do you want it like this?" I pant. "Fucking hell, Bella. Your pussy feels amazing wrapped around my dick. Fuck, baby."

All coherent thoughts leave my body as I feel the beginnings of an orgasm start to rush through me. I vaguely remember wanting to get her off again first, and am relieved when I feel her hand slip between us and start rubbing herself.

"That's it, baby. Touch yourself for me. That's so fucking hot. I'll never get enough of you, Bella. You're mine now."

The minute Bella's walls clench around me, I'm done. My thrusts become erratic, and I have no idea what words are coming out of my mouth before my release is finally complete, and I stop with my cock still buried deep inside my girl.

_My_ girl.

Fuck yeah. I smile at the thought as I bury my face in her neck. I laugh as I finally let Bella in on what I've wanted to do for three weeks.

"Practically the entire team has been talking about bonking you in this office. I can't wait to tackle you on the field Monday so everyone knows you're mine."

* * *

**A/N: So… that happened.**

**Well known secret – I have the best friends in the world. Seriously. My birthday was this past Sunday, and even though my RL was incredibly craptacular that day, they made me feel like I was the most loved person on the planet. THANK YOU to each of you. I love you all tons.**

**One of my pressies was a group for this little story. Come play with us in Eden Park! I'll post extra POV's and teasers there... AND my girl, Whiti, took some pictures for me around Auckland!  
****facebook * com / groups/ kiwiward/****  
****You know the deal… change * to . and take out the spaces... or click the link on my profile!**

**Thank you to my team… born, chaya, whiti, and yummy! New to my group of cheerleaders is Amber's Pen. I swear, it takes a village to make my words readable;) She's helping me keep Kiwiward's thoughts un-American along with all of her other awesome talents.**

**Rec: I happen to kinda love this girl… les16. She's another one that I'm sure everyone is already reading, though. I found her with **_**The Breakers**_**… and I just wanted to tackle hug that Edward—Unf! She had me hooked from the get go with **_**Watching Her,**_** and the sequel**_**, Drumsticks and Penalty Kicks**_**, was soo sweet. Also… she's publishing OF slash soon… and some of you may know I have a bit of a thing for boy lovin'. NOMMY! GO! Read! Support!**

**Also, not to gloat, but I was so right about jaxon22's new one, _Dancing in the Dark._ It's fabulous so hop on board now!**

**Sorry for the long-ass A/N… I think we've established I'm wordy.**

**Thanks for all the love!**


	10. Chapter 9 - Yes or Yes

**A/N: Thanks again for all of the love. You guys rock my world!**

**Disclaimer: Not mine!**

* * *

My_ girl._

_Fuck yeah. I smile at the thought as I bury my face in her neck. I laugh as I finally let Bella in on what I've wanted to do for three weeks._

"_Practically the entire team has been talking about bonking you in this office. I can't wait to tackle you on the field Monday so everyone knows you're mine."_

oOoOoOo

Bella laughs and I lift my head to look at her beautiful, post-multiple-because-I'm-the-mother-fucking-man-orgasm face. "Uhh… I'm not joking."

Her smile is a mile wide, and knowing I put it there causes my dick to stir. I deftly slip out of her but keep her pressed against the desk, not quite willing to lose contact yet.

"Don't you think that'll be a bit unprofessional—the exact opposite of what I'm trying to accomplish here?" Her words tell me no, but her dancing eyes and roaming fingers spur me forward.

"I don't give a fuck what the team thinks of _me, _though. You can punish me in class for it if you want so they know it's all on me—at least they'll know you're mine." I dip down and lick across her collarbone before gently biting the soft flesh between her shoulder then pulling back to look at her again. "In all seriousness, you know I'd never do anything to upset you, right? If you don't want me to, I won't."

Bella closes her eyes and tilts her head back, sighing, "You're going to be the death of me, you know that? How am I ever gonna say no to you when you spout off sweet words like that? Can we at least make sure Jasper knows first?"

I smile triumphantly. "Anything you want, baby. Now, let's get you dressed before Emmett barges in on us," I say, giving her one last kiss and finally hoisting myself off of her.

Bella pouts for a moment and then sighs, "I guess tonight has to end eventually."

Chuckling, I pull my pants up and move around her office to collect her clothes. "Just because we're leaving here doesn't mean we're saying goodbye. You're coming home with me, and we're doing several variations of _that_ again."

I sigh as Bella pulls on her clothes and covers up the skin I still want to be touching…and licking. She rummages through her desk and pulls out a Blues T-shirt, tossing it to me as she says, "I love the sound of that plan, but I don't have anything to wear." I give her a look indicating how absurd that statement is, and she laughs and continues, "Okay, we won't need clothes, but I at least need a toothbrush."

"I have a tonne of toothbrushes! Emmett got drunk one night and ordered a hundred from an infomercial. I shit you not; I got six toothbrushes from him every holiday last year, even non-gift giving ones like Waitangi Day and Anzac Day."

Bella looks at me with a dubious expression on her face, "Shut up! Seriously?"

My smile grows bigger as I make my way over to her and wrap my arms around her waist. Dipping down to gently kiss the tip of her nose, I rest my forehead against hers, "It's Emmett. Is it really that unbelievable?"

She rolls her eyes as she laughs. "You have a point there."

"So, unless you want to tell me you have at least one box of condoms at your apartment, you're better off agreeing and walking your sexy arse to my car."

She wraps her arms around my neck, and I can't believe she's finally mine to touch and hold and kiss. "Wouldn't you know, I'm fresh out, what with all the entertaining I've done since I moved in six days ago. Your place it is, I guess." My heart jumps when she lifts up on her toes and pulls my head down, kissing me lightly.

She's turning me into such a fucking girl, but I can't seem to find it in me to care right now.

I reluctantly drop my hands from her waist and pull back, grabbing her hand. "Let's get the hell out of here before someone shows up."

Bella laces her fingers through mine and looks up at me as we walk out, her eyes wide. "I thought you wanted everyone to know," she teases.

"I want everyone to know on Monday. Until then I want to stay holed up in either my bedroom or yours…and maybe occasionally the kitchen. Or the shower," I tack on just to be safe.

"Why, Edward Cullen, if I didn't know better, I'd say you're only interested in me for one thing!"

"Hey! That's not true at all. I'll need at least twenty minutes recovery time between rounds, and we can spend every single one of them talking about whatever you want."

Bella's laughter causes my own face to light up, and I can't help but pull her closer and throw my arm over her shoulder as we walk through the car park.

I'm so absorbed in Bella, I don't notice the couple standing near my car until I hear a throat clearing. Startled, I look up to see Emmett leaning against his car with Rose tightly wrapped in his arms.

"Hey, guys," I start, "I didn't expect to see you here, Rose."

"Hey, yourself, Edward," Rose replies. "My parents crashed early so I decided to come out and meet you guys. Imagine my surprise when I found out you two were already gone."

"So…whatcha been doing for the past thirty minutes?" Emmett asks, grinning like the Mad Hatter.

To my surprise, Bella tightens her hold on my waist and buries her head in my chest as her other hand grasps at the material covering my stomach. "We're never living this down. Never," she murmurs into my chest.

Chuckling, I know there's no point trying to cover it up. There's no way to explain away my mussed-up hair, the smile of pure delight on my face, or the fact that Bella's once neat and strategically worn Blues shirt is hanging limp on her body.

"Apparently providing you with ammunition for the next several weeks. What's it gonna take to cut it down to just one?" I ask as Bella takes a deep breath and pulls herself away from my chest. She looks sheepishly at Rose, who returns Bella's smile as she pulls Emmett's arms around her more tightly.

"Dude, I'm hurt!"

The look on my face clearly shows everyone here is well aware he's not letting this die anytime soon.

"Fine! You two are having lunch with us tomorrow. You give me all the details, and in ten days, I'll forget we caught you walking out of our place of employment looking like one sated motherfucker."

I glance at Bella and she shrugs her shoulders lightly. "Deal to lunch, no deal to details, and only a week," I bargain.

"No way, man! If I don't get details, it's at least two weeks!" Emmett actually looks indignant—like he has some sort of claim on our relationship. Okay, maybe he does…but still.

"Vague details, ten days," I offer.

Emmett spits on his hand and starts to offer it to me before suddenly pulling back. He looks at Bella for a moment, "No offense or anything, Bella," then turns his attention to me, "but maybe we can shake on it tomorrow, mate."

Before I can say anything, Rose reaches up and whacks Emmett on the back of his head before pushing away from him to give Bella a hug. "I'm happy for you, girl. You two have fun tonight—just give me a call whenever you manage to find your way out of bed."

Bella shocks the shit out of me again when she pulls back from Rose, giggling and says with a wink, "Okay, talk to you Sunday night, then!"

"_Nice_, bro." Emmett holds his hand out to me while I stare at him incredulously.

"Now you wanna touch me?"

"Aw, come on, Eddie. Don't pack a shitty because I made a little joke. You know how happy I am for you guys for real, right? You're each other's crabs and shit."

Two female heads swivel to stare at Emmett.

"Okay, what Kiwi phrase am I missing here?" Bella inquires.

"I'm missing it, too, baby." I tug her back into my arms.

That's better.

Emmett sighs as if everyone here is a huge inconvenience. "You know… the show where the geeky guy is head over heels for the hot chick, but she's all 'No, I don't think so,' until one day she finally realizes he's her crab."

Uhh…?

"You mean the show _Friends_ with Ross and Rachel?" Bella clarifies.

"YES! That's the one, Bellaboo! See, you _get_ me!"

Rose and Bella are laughing, and I'm completely clueless as to what's going on, but I'm digging the feeling of my girl's arse jiggling against my dick as she laughs, so I'm okay with not knowing what the hell they're talking about.

"He's her _lobster_, Emmett, because lobsters mate for life," Rose explains, making her way back to Emmett.

"Oh, well, that's what we are, too, baby," Emmett says, grabbing Rose by the hand and pulling her flush against his body.

I watch as Rose turns into a veritable pile of mush over Emmett's words and realise yesterday this scene would have made me want to drink piss. Now, I just slip my hands beneath Bella's shirt and let my fingers find their way across her flat belly as I bend down to kiss her neck. "Time to go home now, Bella," I whisper.

I glance up to see Rose pulling Emmett to their car. "Call before you come tomorrow; you might be up before we are!" Rose calls over her shoulder.

I laugh as Emmett fist pumps the air and finally turn to open my car door for Bella. Rose and Emmett can think what they want, but there's no way they're outlasting us in anything tonight.

oOoOoOo

I somehow muster enough restraint to let Bella take a shower by herself at my flat. I only have to stop myself three times from hopping in with her, but I figure allowing her to shower in peace is the least I can do considering she has nothing here but a brand new Spinbrush Pro. I set out a T-shirt and pair of my boxers for when she's done, then grab a quick shower while she towel-dries her hair.

"I guess I should get a hair dryer if I want you to stay over here a lot, aye?" I ask as I soap up my hair.

"Oh my gosh, Edward. Could you be any sweeter?"

"I'm sweet because I want you to stay over a lot?"

"You're sweet for a tonne of reasons; this just happens to be the most recent. I'll just bring my hair dryer whenever I spend the night, though don't think you're getting out of staying at my place either. I haven't even been living there a week, you know?"

I smile even though Bella can't see me, pleased I'll be able to live out some of the fantasies that ran through my head as I was making her bed. I rinse the soap off my body, making sure to get every nook and cranny clean, and push open the door to grab a towel.

Bella's eyes rake over my body, sending a clear message she's just as ready for round two as I am.

I sling my towel over the towel rail and pull Bella to me, kissing her deeply. Without taking my lips off of hers, I bend down and hoist her up by her arse, loving the feeling of her body against mine as she wraps her legs around my waist. I can hardly make it to my bed fast enough, gently tossing her down when my knees touch the edge.

Her giggle is adorable as she scoots back, and I crawl toward her like the predator I become when I'm with her.

"This has got to go now," I tell her, running my hands beneath my T-shirt covering Bella's delicious tits. She readily complies and lifts her arms over her head as I slide the shirt off. I'm thrilled as fuck she never put my boxers on, and her very willing body is now very naked.

"I don't even know why I put it on."

"Well, it is fun to take off," I reply, running my hands back up her body.

"God, I love feeling your hands on me. I don't know how I went a day without you, much less three weeks."

I kiss my way down her chest, sucking each nipple into my mouth, swirling my tongue around the hard buds. I tear myself away from her perfect tits, wanting to worship every inch of her body—I want to find out what touches make her squirm, what kisses make her sigh, and what caresses make her scream out my name.

Before I get very far, Bella pushes me off her body and throws me onto the bed, climbing on top of me and straddling my hips. Her fingers trail lightly down my chest as she grins down at me, "Nuh-uh…you got to have all the fun in my office; it's my turn to play with you."

Laughing, I slide my hands up her legs and grip her thighs. "I'm pretty sure you had fun, too."

Bella's expression morphs into pure desire as she promises, "And now I'm about to return the favour." She presses her body against mine as she claims my lips, then starts her slow descent down my body. She hasn't even gotten near my dick yet, and it's already twitching in anticipation. Her hands are roaming through the coarse hair on my chest, and my abs tense in the best way when she finds a ticklish spot on my side. Her mouth follows behind the path her hands left, creating a trail of goose bumps that pop up after every lick of her tongue.

I start reciting rugby stats in my head when she grips my dick and languidly pumps my shaft, stopping each time at the top to run her palm flat against the top. I'm so focused on her hand and the stats running through my head, I don't notice when she stops kissing my stomach until her warm, wet mouth closes around my cock.

My hands instinctively move to grip her head, and I nearly lose my load when I look down and see her peeking up at me with her mouth full of my dick. The sight is far too enticing, so I lay my head back and try to hold on to what little self-control I have left.

Bella's mouth is warm and wet as she moves around my cock, and if I hadn't just taken her earlier tonight, I'd swear this was the best feeling in the world. She's compliant in my hands, easily reading my cues, giving me more when I ask for it and backing off when I get too close.

"Shit, Bella," I pant, "I don't think I can hold off much longer." Her eyes flash up to me, and she gives me a small grin before swirling her tongue around the tip of my shaft and then plunging her mouth down around my shaft until her nose is touching my pubic bone. My cock is buried deep in her throat, and she gags a little as she swallows around me. I should probably feel bad, but the feeling in my dick takes over all reasonable thought as my orgasm rushes through me and I explode inside her mouth.

I barely remember to release my grip on Bella's head, but she keeps her mouth firmly around me as I groan and ride out my high. Finally, Bella releases my satisfied cock and crawls up my stomach, looking very much like the cat that ate the canary.

"So, was that fun for you?"

I wrap my arms around her and shrug my shoulders as I pant out a very unconvincing, "Meh."

Laughing, she lightly slaps at my chest. "In that case, don't expect a repeat performance!"

"Oh, no, no, no. We're doing that at least five times a day."

Laughter fills my bedroom. "You're impossible! I thought you were this charming, intelligent guy, but really all you do is think about sex!"

"To be fair, it's kind of hard not to when my hot, naked girlfriend just gave me the best blowjob ever. You didn't have to do that at the end, you know? I don't want to hurt you." God, I hope she wants to do it again—it was fucking amazing, but nothing's worth her discomfort.

Bella leans down and kisses me slowly and thoroughly, curling her fingers through the hair on either side of my head. I grab two handfuls of arse cheek and squeeze, causing her to rub against my recovering cock, making him think about round three.

Finally, she pulls away to look at me again. "You didn't hurt me. It's kind of a turn-on seeing how much you enjoyed it."

"Enjoyed would be a massive understatement, baby."

Her smile turns coy, but I don't have to wonder what she's thinking for very long. "So, I'm your girlfriend, huh? Do I get a say in the matter?"

"Nope. I'm not stupid. If I ask, you might say no, and that's not an option."

"What! You know I won't say no; just ask me!"

"Nope, too risky. Sorry, baby. We'll just have to act out some other fantasy of yours." I run my hands from her arse to her neck and down again, causing her body to erupt in shivers.

"You're kind of impossible sometimes, you know."

"So I've been told. At least it'll keep things interesting between us." I prop up on my elbows and flip her underneath me in one fell swoop, covering her body with mine to keep her warm. My cock nestles snugly between her legs and immediately starts reaching toward its new favourite place.

Bella's laugh only further exacerbates the issue, and I can't help but chuckle when she says, "I thought you said I'd get twenty minutes of talk time? It's barely been ten!"

I lean down and kiss the side of her neck, relishing the way she responds to my touch as goose bumps immediately appear where I've been. "What can I say? You're just too hot for your own damn good. Is it a problem?"

"Not at the moment, but we might have to get more condoms on the way back from Rose's tomorrow if we keep up this pace. We'll also need to go by my apartment so I can actually have my stuff here…unless you'd rather just stay there tomorrow night." Bella's breath starts to hitch when my lips find the skin just beneath her left breast. I'm barely registering her words, my thoughts solely consumed on finally tasting her.

Still, I want to at least appear to be a supportive boyfriend, so I mumble out the first thing that comes to mind, "Sure, baby…whatever you want. God, I can't wait to fuck you bareback, though. You're gonna feel fucking fantastic wrapped around my naked cock."

Bella's hands stop roaming around my back.

Fuck.

I lift my head and look at her.

"I mean, whenever you're ready. I'm not trying to push you or anything. I know we haven't talked about past relationships or anything yet. Shit. It was just a dumb thought that passed through my head, Bella. Forget I said it, okay?"

"I don't want to forget it, Edward. It's fine. I was just caught off-guard, I guess. I already knew the pasts of the only two people I've been with, so we never had this awkward conversation." Thankfully, Bella's face is the portrait of honesty, and I'm relieved she isn't upset.

I drop my chin to her sternum and run my hand up her leg. I'm ready to move on and get back to savouring her body, but before I suggest that, Bella speaks up.

"I'm covered if you are. I mean, I'm on the pill, and even though I've never had sex without a condom, I still got tested after Jake and I split up since he was with Leah the next day." Her eyes glance to mine, which must be registering shock at the fact that any man would willingly give up this girl. Apparently, she misunderstands the look on my face and quickly tries to pull back. "It's cool, though. I mean, I can do it again here."

I hastily move back up her body, silencing her with a kiss. "Of course I trust you, Bella. I was just thinking this Jake guy must've been the biggest idiot in the world to let you get away. Seriously, maybe you should advise him to visit a doctor."

Bella's laugh warms my heart, and I bury my head between her tits and revel in the sound. Her fingers comb through my hair and scratch my scalp as I consider what I'm about to suggest. I'm clearly more experienced than Bella, and the enormous amount of trust she's putting in me right now is not something I want to take lightly.

I know she's the one for me, though; I can feel it in every bone in my body, and I have no reason to delay the inevitable.

"Are you sure, Bella? I'm good, too. I haven't been with anyone in a while, and I've been tested since then. I'll wait if you're not ready, but I'm not gonna lie…I'm really fucking excited about this."

She trails her fingers from my temple down to my chin and offers a small smile, "Of course I'm sure."

She pulls me down to kiss me again, only taking charge for a moment before relinquishing power back to me. I kiss my way to her ear and whisper, "As much as I can't wait to be back inside of you, I've been dying to taste your pussy since we were in your office."

Bella moans, "Oh god," and grips the sheets as I quickly make my way to the centre of her thighs. Determined not to be interrupted again, I make quick work of parting her lips and flattening my tongue over her pussy and licking up to her clit in one long stroke. I work my girl over good, nibbling and licking around her sweet little nub while my fingers learn her insides. It doesn't take long before one particularly forceful suck sends Bella over the edge, moaning my name.

This time, I allow Bella a moment to catch her breath as I slowly kiss my way back up her body. I position my cock at her entrance before resting my full weight on top of her and framing her face with my arms.

My fingertips brush the hair back at her temple and when she opens her eyes I murmur, "I don't know what happened in your past, and believe me, I have plenty of fucked-up skeletons in my closet, but I promise I'll do my best to erase your bad memories and replace them with good ones. I know this is really fast and kinda intense, but I hope you know how crazy I am about you. I've never felt this consumed by anyone—and if I'm honest, it's scary as hell—but please, never doubt how much I care about you, Bella."

Her eyes are shining when I close the distance between us and kiss her again, slowly shifting forward to enter her. Bella moans into my mouth, making me want to pick up my pace, but I'm determined to show her how I feel about her.

I hook my arms under her shoulders and lick and nip along her jawline as I slowly move in and out of her. Our bodies are pressed so tightly together, it offers little leverage, but what we lose in movement we make up for in passion.

"Oh god, Bella. It's feels like you're everywhere around me," I mumble, not even caring if I'm not making any sense.

Bella's fist closes around a lock of my hair, and she pulls me closer. "Uhhnn…Edward."

Her breathy moan spurs me on further, "I'll never get enough of this."

Bella's whimpers blow hot breath across my ear and neck, causing a chain reaction of tingling that ends in my dick. I moan and bend my head down to bite her shoulder gently. "I'm close, baby. Can you get there?"

"God, yes. Just don't stop talking," she groans, swivelling her hips in time with mine.

Damn, my girl is hot.

I shift back, lifting her left leg with my right arm to get a better angle and pick up my pace, searching for that magical spot.

"You like it when I talk to you, baby? You like my dirty mouth?"

She grips my hips and pulls me to her harder, "Fuck me, Edward!"

"Yeah, you do. You're so fucking hot when you talk like that, too. Do you have any idea how much it turns me on?" I slip my left hand down to Bella's clit and press down, hoping she's as close as she seems to be.

I'm rewarded for my supernatural powers of observation when she clenches around me and digs her nails into my skin.

One look at her fucking gorgeous face and my strokes become shorter and faster until I release inside her in three long streams. I collapse on top of her, but have just enough blood left in my brain to realise I'm crushing her, so I roll to the side.

When I finally have my own breathing under control, I tug her closer to me and say, "Okay, I may need more than twenty minutes after that one."

Bella snuggles deeper into my pillow and against me. "'Kay. Sounds like a plan. Just wake me when you're ready."

I swear she's asleep before she even finishes talking, and I spend a few minutes just staring at her beautiful face, unable to believe that just a few hours ago, I was jealous over her and Riley. My own exhaustion hits me, but I don't want to fall asleep without cleaning up a bit so I gently worm my way out of bed and grab a washcloth, wetting it with warm water before returning to Bella, who's in such a deep slumber that she barely moves as I gently wipe her legs.

Knowing I really will want to wake her up in the middle of the night, I decide to take another shower. I laugh to myself at the thought of depleting all of Auckland of its water supply if we keep this up. While I quickly soap and rinse my tired body, it's still long enough to fog up my bathroom mirror.

I'm getting ready to wipe it away when I'm struck with a brilliant idea. Glancing into my room, I see Bella is still asleep, so I quickly scribble out my note to her.

If all goes as planned, the first thing Bella will see when she steps out of the shower in the morning is:

WILL U B

MY G/F?

[_] Yes [_] Yes

* * *

**A/N: Awww… Moosh.**

**And those were the best boxes I could make... I tried!**

**Thank you to my girls: Amber, Born, Chaya, Whiti, and Yummy! You're help is invaluable to me. Love you all.**

**Rec: One of my favourite fics is Going Under by sparklnfade. Daddyward plus Surferward equals all kinds of win. She creates a lovely mystery from the beginning, making you fall in love with her oh so characters. I can't say enough good things about this fic, for reals… I kinda wanna go read it again now.**

**Thanks for all the love!**


	11. Chapter 10 - Falling into Place

**A/N: Thank you to all of my readers and reviewers. You make this so much fun. I hope you all have a wonderful New Year and a happy and healthy 2013 full of Rob and love!**

* * *

As it turns out, Bella is wrong. Instead of me waking _her_ up in the middle of the night; she wakes _me_ up in the most blissful way imaginable—her warm mouth wrapped around my stiff cock. She alternates between teasing licks up my shaft, gentle nibbles around my sensitive head, and completely engulfing me, all while softly rolling my balls around in her hands. When I can take no more, I pull her up my body.

With a firm grip on her hips, I push her body onto mine until I'm enveloped in her slick heat. As with everything else concerning Bella, I'm surprised to find myself incredibly turned on when she bats my hands away and takes control. Her tempo matches our sleepy state of mind—with her arms loosely framing my head and her body pressed firmly against mine, she rides me with long, slow strokes, and it's the most delicious torture ever.

When the urge to speed up becomes too much, she pushes herself off my chest, swivelling her hips as she moves faster. It's not long before she's slamming down on me, moaning through her orgasm. It's impossible to hold back my own climax when she clenches around my cock and within seconds, I follow right behind her.

She collapses on my chest, snuggling her face into my neck, and I wrap my arms loosely around her body. We're asleep within minutes; my cock still buried deeply inside her.

oOoOoOo

The next time my eyes open, it's light outside, and my bed is empty. Neither is the least bit appealing to me, but a quick glance at the clock shows it's just after ten, and my growling stomach forces me out of bed.

After a quick stop in the bathroom to take a leak, I head out of my bedroom in search of Bella. I'm pretty fucking excited when I find her curled up on my couch, wearing one of my shirts, flipping through last year's All Black playbook, and sipping a cup of coffee. I don't know what this woman is doing to me—at the mere sight of her looking so at home in my flat, my chest heats up and my dick starts twitching.

I must do a horrible job of sneaking up behind her because she doesn't even jump when I slip my arms over her shoulder and grab her tits.

"Mmm…you have no idea how much I love the sight of this," I murmur into her ear.

She tilts her head to get a better look at me. "What? Me wearing your clothes or me reading your playbook?"

"Both. All of it. Any of it. As long as you're here, I don't care."

"I think I might have to agree with that." She gives me a sly grin and says, "Sleep well?"

I laugh and bury my face in her shoulder. I reply even though her shoulder muffles my response. "Best. Night. Ever."

Her answering giggle makes my stomach churn.

"That didn't exactly answer my question, you know?"

Lifting my head, I look into her gorgeous face. "Yep, still doesn't change my answer. How long have you been up, anyway?"

"Not long…an hour, maybe. I hope you don't mind; I rummaged around your kitchen and found the coffee. Want some?"

"Course I don't mind, but I think I'll pass. I'm not really a coffee guy unless it has a tonne of sugar or, even better, some chocolate."

"Duly noted."

"I'm gonna grab a shower. Want to join me?" I nuzzle into her neck again as her fingers scratch lazily at the back of my neck.

"I'd love to, but I've already had one and judging by the sound of the growling stomach behind me, I'd say we need food before anything else." Bella squirms out of my grip and turns around, kneeling on the couch while wrapping her arms around my neck. "Why don't you go shower, I'll call Rose, and then we can drop by my place so I can change before brunch?"

My hands slip down her body and under her shirt, gripping her arse that's, unfortunately, covered with my boxers. Bella's body pressed against mine brings my semi to life, but when my stomach rumbles again, I give Bella a thorough kiss before backing away to go take my shower—the faster we get through this brunch, the faster I'll have Bella back in my bed.

When I step out of the shower, Bella's leaning against my bathroom door looking sexy as fuck in the shorts she wore last night and still sporting my shirt.

Her face is lit up in a smile as her eyes peruse my body, and I can't help but shoot her a cocky look. "Ready for another round after all?"

Blushing, she looks down when she replies, "Nice try, pretty boy. Get movin' so we can go eat, please."

Laughing, I shake my head and say, "Bossy...I like it! Now, were you planning on watching me get ready, or what?"

"Maybe," she grins. "We just established you're pretty easy to look at."

Laughing, I turn to the mirror to tame my hair, and I'm immediately reminded of the note I left Bella last night. As usual, she didn't disappoint.

My smile is fucking huge as my eyes roam the mirror to see that she not only checked both of my boxes, but that Bella covered the rest of the mirror with 'yes' boxes of her own—and every single one of them is checked.

When I turn back to Bella, her smile is shy and she shrugs her shoulders a bit. "I wanted to make sure I got my point across, but writing 'a thousand times, yes' seemed a little corny."

Bella screams in delight when I scoop her up and barrel over to the bed to toss her on top. "I hope you told Rose we'd be at least an hour," I growl, once again stalking my giggling prey up my bed.

Bella shakes her head but wraps her arms around my neck and pulls my head down to her, "Nope, we have to leave in five minutes if we still want to stop by my apartment."

She might be telling me no, but her argument is severely lacking considering her tongue is running up my neck. Fortunately for my dick, I choose to follow the path her body is leading me down.

oOoOoOo

Apparently 'quick' is a relative term because we leave for brunch fifteen minutes late. I push the speed limit in an effort to make up some time but keep my hand resting on the inside of her thigh when I'm not shifting gears.

"So, you know Emmett is going to hound us for details, right?"

Laughter fills my car, and when I glance at Bella, she's looking down at her lap. "He's pretty relentless, isn't he?"

"Oh yeah, and he's so used to knowing every detail of my life, it wouldn't occur to him this could be awkward for us. I can get him to back off, though. The last thing I want to do is embarrass you or let you think this is just about bragging rights for me."

"No, that's okay. I really don't mind. I have girlfriends I talk with about this kind of stuff. I don't need you to keep it a secret to prove anything to me. You've not only told me several times how much you want this to work, but you've backed it up with your patience and consideration for my feelings. I hope you know I feel the same way." Bella starts fiddling with my fingers when she continues. "It's scary and overwhelming how _right_ this feels, you know? I realised the day you helped me move I was being so stupid to miss out on what I knew in my heart we could be just because I didn't want to get hurt again. I'm sorry for that, by the way. I wanted to tell you that day, but everyone was around, and then I barely saw you all week. It was the longest five days of my life!"

My heart speeds up at Bella's confession, so I simply squeeze her leg and thank her.

I know she's as dedicated to our relationship as I am, but I didn't realise how relieved I would feel to actually hear her say these words out loud. Bella's hesitance in starting our relationship is water under the bridge as far as I'm concerned. Besides, for all I know, we're better off having started out as friends instead of just jumping into bed together right away.

I don't want to dwell on the few weeks we lost, though, so I bring the conversation back to Emmett. "Well, I'm still not giving him a play-by-play. He may be my best mate, but I like knowing some things are just for us."

Bella squeezes my hand as we pull into the car park and offers my favourite smile. "I couldn't agree more. Now, let's go refuel so we can go do more stuff that Emmett will want to know about," she says with a wink.

Hell. Yes.

I scramble out of my car as quickly as possible so I can open her door, and we amble our way over to Emmett and Rose. We quickly decide to avoid the crowd and choose to sit inside the restaurant rather than the café that offers a view of the beach in Mission Bay.

After a short wait, we're seated at a four-top square table, and I itch to sit directly next to Bella so I can wrap my arm around her. I tamp down my eagerness by reminding myself that soon we'll be back at her place…naked.

Emmett and I quickly decide on the Mecca big breakfast—a feast that includes bacon and eggs, sausage, mushrooms, and hash potatoes with Turkish bread. I'm so hungry I'd have no problem devouring two orders, but I don't want to risk putting myself into a food coma, so I simply tack on a side of fries.

It's quite possibly the first time I've ordered more food than Emmett, and he shoots me a look of approval knowing exactly how I burned all of my calories.

The girls decide to split the mixed berry hotcakes and the honey-baked French toast. I slip my hand under the table and squeeze Bella's knee, happy she's found such a good friend. Aside from the fact that she and Rose will be forced to spend a lot of time together simply because Emmett's my best mate, I really admire and respect Rose.

Bella's hand finds mine, and she twines our fingers together while she chats with Rose about whatever it is women talk about.

Emmett leans closer to me and lowers his normally loud voice. "Okay, Rose convinced me not to ask for details, but can you at least tell me how many times?"

"Come on, Em. You know it's more than that," I say. Knowing Bella doesn't care if I share doesn't stop me from at least _trying_ to be a gentleman.

Instantly contrite, he moves to punch me in the arm before remembering we're not on the field. "Of course I know that. I helped you win her over for three weeks; I know better than anybody! It's not like I'm asking what positions you guys were in, though."

A quick glance at Bella's flushed cheeks and bright smile tells me she's probably dishing these same details to Rose, so I give Emmett a break. I can't resist teasing Emmett, and maybe I want to brag a little, so I whisper back, "Fine. How many times what?"

"Dude, don't be a dick."

"I'm serious. Do you want to know how many times tab 'A' went into slot 'B,' or how many times she got off—because the latter is definitely more."

Emmett sits up straight in his seat with his shit-eating grin firmly in place, and before I can remind him to keep it down says, "_Nice_, bro," while offering me his fist.

I quickly bat it down with my hand, but we've garnered the girls' attention and the looks on their faces tell me we're busted. I shrug and smile at Bella while she shakes her head at me.

Our food arrives and we eat in silence for a few minutes until Emmett revives our conversation by asking Bella exactly how she met Alice.

Bella's eyes immediately drop to her plate, and she starts squirming in her seat. "Oh, um, just through an online book group. We started chatting here and there on Facebook, and before I knew it we were talking almost every night. She became one of my closest friends just like that." Bella snaps her fingers before finishing her story. "When my ex and I split up, Alice, along with some other girls I met the same way, were a huge support for me and we became even closer. As scary as it sounded, it was actually a no brainer when she told me about the Pilates job. Most of the friends I had back home were friends with Jake first, so when we broke up, I kinda lost them, too. I was ready to get away from all that and this seemed like the perfect opportunity."

"Your ex sounds like a douche. So do his friends." That would be Emmett. "At least you don't have to worry about that with us. If Edward's dumb enough to let you go, we're keeping you, Bellaboo."

"Thanks, Em. It's comforting to know that twelve hours into our relationship, you're already betting against us," Bella replies while side-eyeing Emmett.

"I'm not exactly going out on a limb when I say I'm nowhere close to being that stupid, so it's a moot point," I add. Bella and I have barely scratched the surface when it comes to her ex, so I figure I'm doing her a favour when I change the subject. "What kind of online book club?"

A loud snort causes my eyes to pop over to Rose, who's just about to devour a forkful of French toast topped with grilled banana and covered in syrup. Their brekkie looks fucking awesome, and I make a note to bring just Bella sometime and talk her into sharing with me like that.

Bella's eyes are on her plate when I look back to her, and she looks incredibly uncomfortable. She glances at me, her contorted face showing her distress over the subject. Before I can figure out what her deal is, Emmett pipes up.

"Wait a minute...are you talking about that _Girl Next_ _Door_ shit that Alice reads?"

I feel like I'm watching a tennis match when my head whips back to look at Bella, whose blanched face is void of all colour. What the fuck is this about?

"How do you know about that?" Bella asks, looking terrified.

Emmett's face lights up. "It is! Oh, Bellaboo, I didn't know you had it in you! Good for you, mate!" he says, turning to me and offering his fist.

Ignoring his fist, I ask, "Can someone please tell me what the fuck is going on here?"

"Your girl reads porn! There's some hot shit in there, too. Jasper told me about some of the new stuff he and Alice are doing; I've been trying to figure out a way to get Rosie in on this." Emmett looks at me and mouths, "HOT," one more time to drive his point home.

Rose is full on laughing by now, and the colour in Bella's cheeks has not only returned but is flaming bright red. I'm momentarily distracted by the way her blush travels all the way down her chest and disappears beneath her shirt, but Bella's outrage brings me back to the conversation.

"Oh my god, Emmett! It is not_ just_ porn! Most of what I read is all about the love between Liam and Charlotte and the obstacles they overcome to be together." Bella snaps her mouth closed and covers it with her hand.

Well, this is unexpected.

"Okay, seriously. Can someone please slow down and clue me in?" I ask, grabbing Bella's hand.

"Allow me. Our sweet and innocent Coachette here reads _Girl Next Door_ fan-fiction, stories written using the characters from the movies, but way more interesting because it's full of porn. Jasper told me about it one night, and I Googled that shit when I got home to find out more. There's some dirty, dirty stuff in there, Eddieboy. Congrats, man! You got yourself a freak!"

Rose whacks Emmett in the arm as Bella hisses, "I am _not_ a freak!"

Emmett shrugs unapologetically and stuffs another bite of sausage in his mouth. Meanwhile, I'm starting to recall some of the hype that went along with a published book originating from fan-fiction. I'd caught Esme watching a piece on _60 Minutes_ about the new kinky wave sweeping the world and teased Carlisle about it. If that's the kind of stuff Bella likes…

One look at Bella, though, reminds me where my priorities lie, so I tighten my grip on her hand and look at Emmett.

"Em."

"Aw, don't be upset, Bella. I'm just joking with you. I'm gonna start reading it out loud to Rosie at night; from the way Jasper talks, Alice is in the mood twenty-four seven."

Rose narrows her eyes at Emmett. "So, now we don't have sex enough?"

"Course we do, baby, I can't help it that you're so sexy I always want more." Emmett winks and turns back to Bella. "Sorry, Bellaboo. You know I love you; I'm just happy for Eddie."

I'm relieved when Bella finally uncovers her face and laughs. "It's fine, Emmett. I knew it would come out eventually—I'd just hoped for a better setting than our first date."

"Actually, I'm pretty good with it coming out today. Now I know exactly what we're doing when we get home," I inform her.

Bella pops the last bite of her hotcakes in her mouth and rolls her eyes. "Shocking," she grins at me.

oOoOoOo

I pull Bella's hand to my knee while I drive back to her flat. "I'm glad you and Rose get on so well. It's nice you have someone other than Alice to hang out with."

"I know, right? We were talking with Esme last night about the four of us having a girls' night out every so often."

"That sounds like fun—you couldn't have found better women to become friends with here. I'm happy for you."

"Yeah?"

I glance at Bella and see her chewing on her bottom lip.

"Of course, why wouldn't I be?"

"No, you're right. You should be; I'm just not used to this. Jake was pretty possessive—he never really let me have my own friends. I'm sorry; I'm know you don't want to hear about my ex all the time."

"I won't lie, Bella. Everything I've heard about him so far makes me want to bash the guy's head in, but that doesn't mean you can't talk about your relationship. My past is going to come up, too, especially while we're still getting to know one another, and there are probably some things you won't want to hear about either. All I can do is promise they're in my past. I'll do my best not to let it mess up what we have together."

Bella squeezes my hand and when I look at her, she's smiling again. "You just keep getting better and better, don't you?"

"Not really; I have to stack up all my brownie points now, so when I royally fuck something up, I can remind you of all the times you've told me how awesome I am."

"Right. I'm not buying that for a second," she replies. "Now, I need you to be quiet so I can call Alice before Emmett blabs his big fat mouth to every stranger on the street and it gets back to her."

Like the brownie-point winning boyfriend I am, I keep my mouth shut while Bella calls Alice, but that doesn't mean I don't eavesdrop on their conversation.

It's not really eavesdropping when it's happening in my car, after all.

"Hey, Allie."

"Umm…yep. I made it home fine."

"You could say that."

"Something definitely happened."

"Geez, Alice. I'm not giving you details. You're as bad as Emmett. I went home with him, okay? That's all you're getting for now."

"No, I'm still with him; we're on our way back to my apartment, actually."

Bella laughs at whatever Alice says next and replies, "I don't think I'll be online tonight. Maybe tomorrow night after Edward goes home."

She glances at me, and I shake my head.

"Or not," she laughs into the phone. "Why don't we have lunch Monday and catch up?"

I nudge Bella and ask for her phone.

"Thanks, Allie. Edward wants to talk to you now, okay?"

"Love you, too"

"Hey, Alice," I say into the phone.

"I _knew_ it! I knew she'd give in eventually. You two are so perfect for each other. I'm so happy for both of you, Edward. I'm telling you now, though. She's completely amazing and one of my favourite people on this planet. If you hurt her, I hurt you," Alice warns me.

I can't help but laugh at the idea of Alice trying to hurt me. She's tiny.

"Don't you laugh at me!" she snaps. "There's a reason Jasper's scared of me, you know!"

"Come on, Al. Have you ever seen me like this? You know I'd never hurt her."

"Of course I know, Edward. I wouldn't have encouraged her to give you a chance if I had any doubt. It's part of the best friend code, though. I'm sure Emmett will give Bella the same speech."

"I don't know about that; I'm pretty sure he's already given it to me."

"Good. He can probably do more damage to you than I can, anyway. Most of the punishments I have for Jas don't apply to you."

"For fuck's sake, Alice. I do not need to hear any more about your sex life. Finding out you and Bella read porn together was enough for one day."

"She _told_ you that?" Alice shrieks.

"Not exactly. Emmett figured it out. Apparently, Coach told Emmett some of the benefits of your little hobby, and now he wants Rose to read it, too."

"Ugh! Well I guess I can't be too mad considering everything Bella knows about me."

"Yeah, again… too much information. Is Jasper around?"

"Sure, hold on a sec. Oh, and Edward? I'm serious…take care of my girl's heart. This is a big deal for her."

"Don't worry, Alice. It's my number one priority."

Alice muffles the phone, but I still hear her yell, "JASPER! Edward's on the phone for you, and you owe me twenty bucks!"

It only takes a moment before Jasper picks up the phone.

"'Sup, mate?"

"Hey, Coach. I just wanted to make sure it won't cause a problem with you if on Monday I not-so-subtly let the guys know Bella's off the market."

"So she finally gave in, aye?"

"Seriously? Was I that obvious?"

"It wasn't exactly hard to figure out, mate. You two tried so hard to be subtle that you made it even more obvious. I'm happy for you, though. She seems like a great girl, and you know me, as long as both of you keep doing what you're doing for the team, I couldn't give a fuck who you shag."

"Thanks. I don't want to hide our relationship, but the last thing I want to do is put Bella's career here in jeopardy."

"Good man, but don't worry about that from me. Bella's proven herself time and again with most of the team, and I'm guessing you couldn't give two shits about the players that might give you a hard time."

"Exactly. All right, I'll see you Monday."

"Have a good weekend, Edward. You better be well-rested when I see you."

"Sure thing, Coach."

I hang up and hand Bella's phone back to her. "Jasper is happy for us. He said we don't have to worry about keeping us a secret, and you've already proven yourself to everyone."

"Well, that's good because I'm starting to think it'd be impossible to hide this. I can hardly wait to get you back to my apartment—we have a lot of surfaces to christen."

My dick perks up at her statement and starts to stir in my shorts.

"Speaking of…I want to hear more about this porn you and Alice read."

"Oh, geez. It's kind of embarrassing, but basically amateur authors tell their own stories using the characters from the _Girl Next Door _series. There's a review system so you can interact with the authors and give feedback. Over time, you get to know some of the authors. I actually think it's pretty cool, but most people just don't get it."

"I think it sounds kind of cool, too."

"Of course you would, Mr. Perfect," Bella teases me.

"I guess I don't understand why it would be _dorky_, as you say."

"It's hard to explain. I've gotten to the point where I don't really feel that way anymore. The women I've become friends with are so diverse—some are stay-at-home moms, some are military wives…teachers, students, _lots_ of accountants. Plus, it's a great way to meet people all over the world."

"That's what I think is cool—meeting people all over the world. Do you or Alice write these stories?"

Bella laughs. "Oh, no…neither of us writes! I met Alice in a Facebook group dedicated to one of our favourite authors, and we eventually branched off into a smaller group with some other girls. We started sharing details about our personal lives in between talking about _Girl Next Door_ and before I knew it, they knew more about me than most people in my real life!"

My dick must realise we're close to Bella's flat because he takes over my words and tries to steer the conversation back to sex. "Sounds to me like you girls are just as bad as Emmett and me! I might be upset that Alice knows more about what you like in bed than I do!"

"I wouldn't go that far. I believe I've been pretty vocal about how…pleased I am with everything we've done."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah," Bella laughs. "You fishing for compliments?"

I pull into a spot in Bella's car park but turn to look at her before turning off the engine. "Not really. I mean, I'm glad to hear you're happy, but I just want to make sure it's not too rough. We haven't really done the gentle loving thing I thought girls like at first."

I think my cheeks match Bella's pink ones, but I'd feel like an even bigger arse if I didn't check in with her on this. "Um…no, we're good. I mean, there's a time and a place for everything, but if you ever decide to read fanfic, you'll know I wasn't lying last night when I told you I didn't need slow and romantic." Her eyes snap up and meet mine, and the next words out of her mouth cause my dick to stand at attention. "In all honesty, it's a huge fucking turn-on when you're in charge."

Aaaand this conversation is officially over.

I'm out of the car and opening her door in record time, pulling Bella behind me as she laughs all the way to her flat.

oOoOoOo

Bella's fingers grip her sheets as she moans into the pillow, and that's when I realise this is going to be over too soon. I slide one hand up her slightly sweaty back, and she arches into my touch. I move past her messy ponytail until I reach her clenched hand. I loosen her fingers and move her hand to the bars on her headboard. I return my hand to her waist and lean down to nip at her neck and grunt out, "Hold onto the headboard and touch yourself for me."

Bella shivers as my words wash through her, but keeps a firm hold on the bar while her right hand slips beneath her to find her clit. I fist her hair in my hand as I sit up and pull Bella's arse flush against my hips.

"Fuck," she utters, as I tighten my grip on her hair and pull her head off of the pillow. I'm instantly worried I've gone too far and loosen my grip but thank every deity known to man when she moans and begs me not to let go.

My thrusts are fast and hard, and it's not long before I feel the prickling start in the pit of my belly. It's rolling through my body so quickly, I know she's not going to get off in time. She's close to the edge, but I'm about to barrel over that shit at two hundred kilometres per hour.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck..." I mumble out as my body shudders and I feel the rush of my orgasm surge through my body. "Get there, baby. Please. Fucking hell. I can't last any longer."

I explode inside Bella as I hold my hips flush against her raised ass, releasing in two long loads. Before I have time to relax, Bella is pleading, "No! Don't stop! So close!"

I quickly replace her hand with mine and whisper filthy words in her ear while pounding into her G-spot. Within seconds, she's squeezing my dick as she rides out her orgasm, and I find myself in a familiar spot as of the past twenty-four hours—collapsed on top of my naked girlfriend.

I can't help but laugh. "You're gonna fucking kill me."

Bella's muffled reply only makes me smile more. "What a way to go, though."

"So true. What time is it, anyway? I'm starving."

Bella's head pops up from her pillow to look at the clock. "Almost eleven. Want me to fix us some lunch?"

"Sure, or I can try if you want. I just need to call Carlisle to let him know I can't make it today."

"I didn't know you had lunch plans with him! You can't cancel. Go, I'll be fine!"

"No, it's really not a big deal. I have lunch with him and Esme every Sunday; missing one won't hurt anyone."

Bella's already out of bed and putting clothes on. "Oh no! I'm not getting in the way of that. Go have lunch with them; I'll still be here when you get back."

I wince as Bella pulls on more clothes. We've spent the majority of our time since we got back from brunch yesterday in various stages of undress, and I'm not looking forward to that ending.

I grab her wrist and pull her back down on her bed before she can get too far away from me. Framing her neck with my hands, I kiss her lightly and rest my head against hers. "How about you come with me? Esme'll kick my arse when she finds out we're together and I didn't bring you today."

Bella's thoughtful for a moment before her chocolate eyes meet mine. "Are you sure? I mean, I realise I know Esme from work, but this is like introducing the girlfriend to your family type thing. Plus, shouldn't we be able to spend a couple hours apart?"

She tries to add levity to her voice, but I can tell she's really concerned. I back away, not wanting to get carried away touching her, but keep a loose grip on her fingers.

"We've already agreed it's a little fast, but I'm okay with that. I know how I feel about you, and it's not something I can compare to anything else, so I don't really know what's right or wrong here. I would never ask you to do something I thought you'd be uncomfortable doing, but I can promise you once Esme finishes squealing like a little girl on Christmas morning, she's going to treat you exactly like she does at work."

"You're right. I guess I'm just nervous. I know how much she loves you, and even though she's hinted she'd like for us to be together, I want her approval. Carlisle, too, of course. I just don't know him as well."

"Well, Carlisle already approves—he told me after we helped you move how special you are—so you don't have anything to worry about there. As for not letting you out of my sight this weekend, well, I got nothing. I want you to have your own life here and experience things without me…I just want you to start doing those things on Monday."

Bella throws herself on my chest and wraps her arms around my neck. "After you tackle me on the field in front of everyone, right?"

My smile could not be wider when I cover her mouth with mine, kissing her soundly.

oOoOoOo

I squeeze Bella's hand before knocking once and then opening the door to my brother's house. I hear Esme call from the kitchen, "In here! Lunch is almost ready. If your brother would leave me alone for two seconds, it'd be on the table already."

Carlisle's laugh becomes louder as we close in on the kitchen, and I'm met with a familiar sight—Carlisle poking at Esme's sides, trying his best to make her squirm so he can pinch food from the dish she's trying to finish.

Laughing, Esme chastises, "You're going to regret messing with me while I cook when you're walking around the hospital with a missing finger one day."

Carlisle leans in to give her a quick kiss on her cheek. "I'll take my chances."

When he turns to greet me properly, he only looks moderately surprised to see Bella standing next to me, hand clutched tightly in mine. She lifts her other hand and gives a small wave while I stand there, the happiest motherfucker on the fucking planet, showing my girl off to my big brother.

"Well, howdy, Bella. This is a nice surprise," Carlisle says, walking toward us.

At his words, Esme drops her big spoon and spins around, her face lit up in shock. She barely takes a moment to look at our obviously-more-than-friends body language before she pushes Carlisle out of the way and runs over to hug Bella.

"You're here!" she squeals.

Carlisle takes his turn with Bella when Esme turns her attention to me. She's so happy, she looks close to tears, but instead she pinches my cheeks and points a finger at me. "You, sir, are in trouble for not telling me sooner."

Laughing, I figure I might as well get myself into more trouble. "You should be happy I'm here at all, Es! I was ready to call in sick and stay in bed, but Bella convinced me we should come."

"Good for you, Bella. He needs someone to keep him in line, and I'm so happy it's you, sweetheart."

With that, she turns back to preparing the food, and Carlisle offers me a hug of his own. He holds me a bit longer than normal and whispers so only I can hear, "Congrats, bro. Take care of your girl, and enjoy your perfectly browned toast."

I give him an extra squeeze before letting go. It feels like all the pieces in my life are finally falling into place, and I can't imagine anything that would bring me down from this high.

* * *

**A/N: Famous last words…**

**Thank you to my wonderful team—amber, born, chaya, whiti, and yummy—they're the best of the best. Also, my sweet Mr. Shock read this chapter for me to keep Edward manly enough. I was nervous he was getting too mooshy in his young love!**

**So, it's not looking good for an update next week, but I'll try. I have lots of good reasons for not having time to write, but I hope you'll just accept my apologies and know I really try my best to stick to a weekly update.**

**Rec: KiyaRaven… she's fabulous. Seriously, all of her words are brilliant so you should read everything she's written, but **_**The Diva Diaries**_** is in my top ten. Bella and Edward's love is tragically beautiful. Vacillating between past and present, Kiya keeps you dying of anticipation, ensuring you always want to click 'next' for the next leg of their journey. (Once you read that, I promise you'll want to read **_**The Screamers**_** and **_**Grasping Darkness**_**, too!) For a quick read, check out her one shot, **_**Phoenix**_**, as well. It's incredibly moving and beautiful.**

**Thanks for the love!**


	12. Bella's Chat - Outtake

**A/N: Happy Friday! This is the conversation Bella (and Edward) had with her girls Sunday night (after getting home from Carlisle and Esme's house). This is totally unbeta'd... all mistakes are mine and intentional! Enjoy!**

* * *

**Belle ofthe Ball**  
Anybody home? I have news to share… ;)  
_Like Comment Unfollow Post (Y) 6 ( c )137 Sunday at 8:03pm_

**French Cherie**, **Anglo Phile**, **Perv Princess**, and 3 others like this.

**French Cherie **I'm here! What's up Kiwi girl?  
_Sunday at 8:04pm_

**Perv Princess **Me too! Where've you been? Haven't seen you all weekend!  
_Sunday at 8:04pm_

**Allie Pie **I know what her news is!  
_Sunday at 8:05pm_

**Writer's Block **BELLESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS! I'm a litlet bit tpsiy! What's your news?  
_Sunday at 8:06pm_

**Writer's Block **FUCK! *little *tipsy  
_Sunday at 8:06pm_

**Perv Princess **She must be distracted by some fine ass Kiwi cock!  
_Sunday at 8:07pm_

**Allie Pie **BWAHAHA! I think you may be on to something, Perv. Where did you go Belle?  
_Sunday at 8:07pm_

**Belle ofthe Ball **LOL. OML… I missed you guys. Sorry I've been MIA the past few days. But yeah… Perv is right. I met a guy!  
_Sunday at 8:08pm_

**Perv Princess **Oh  
_Sunday at 8:08pm_

**Perv Princess **My  
_Sunday at 8:08pm_

**Perv Princess **Liam  
_Sunday at 8:08pm_

**Perv Princess **YAYYYY! I was worried you'd never get over Jake!  
_Sunday at 8:08pm_

**French Cherie **OML is right! WTF, Bella! More deets! NOW!  
_Sunday at 8:09pm_

**Writer's Block **SQUEEEEEEEE! Please tlel me it's one of those hot ass rugery playas on your tema!  
_Sunday at 8:09pm_

**Allie Pie **You don't even know the half of it, WB! What are you even doing tonight? You're wasted!  
_Sunday at 8:10pm_

**Perv Princess **Get the facts first! Did you sex him up yet?  
_Sunday at 8:10pm_

**Belle ofthe Ball **Uh, girls – he's kinda right here with me so maybe we can tone it down a bit tonight?  
_Sunday at 8:11pm_

**Allie Pie **Hey Edward!  
_Sunday at 8:11pm_

**French Cherie **Heyyy, Belle's new guy!  
_Sunday at 8:12pm_

**Belle ofthe Ball **He says hi… I think he's a little scared. He just found out about you girls yesterday. I told him you were like family and very supportive… not a bunch of drunken pervs!  
_Sunday at 8:13pm_

**French Cherie **MDR! Poor guy.  
_Sunday at 8:13pm_

**French Cherie **We can be both, you know? Seriously though… give us details! How'd you guys meet?  
_Sunday at 8:13pm_

**Belle ofthe Ball **WB is right – he plays on my rugby team. He plays for the All Blacks, too… so I guess he's kinda good;)  
_Sunday at 8:14pm_

**Allie Pie **Ha! He's pretty much the best rugby player in the world.  
_Sunday at 8:14pm_

**Belle ofthe Ball **Thanks, Allie! Now his head is so big it won't fit through the door. I'm trying to keep at least one of them down during this conversation;)  
_Sunday at 8:14pm_

**Perv Princess **BELLES! It's always the quiet ones that turn out to be the biggest pervs!  
_Sunday at 8:14pm_

**Belle ofthe Ball **What can I say, PP. I aspire to be more like you every day;)  
_Sunday at 8:15pm_

**Writer's Block **Allie – went out wiht some friens and had a few drnks and came home to have a few more with hubs!  
_Sunday at 8:15pm_

**Writer's Block ***giglegs* hes cocking the brow at me now. Thats my cue to laeve! Hapoy for you, Belllllssss! I'll be back tmrows to talk for reals!  
_Sunday at 8:15pm_

**Anglo Phile **OMG OMG OMG! I'm late but how exciting! *waves to B's new guy!*  
_Sunday at 8:16pm_

**Belle ofthe Ball **Hi, ladies. This is Edward… B's new 'fine piece of Kiwi cock'! Thanks for that Perv Princess!  
_Sunday at 8:17pm_

**Perv Princess **Anytime! You taking care of our girl? Because I can tell you right now, if you don't you'll have about twenty pissed off women coming from all four corners of the earth for you!  
_Sunday at 8:17pm_

**Belle ofthe Ball **I've had enough threats from my own friends, thanks! I plan to take very good care of her for as long as she'll have me. In fact, if she tries to leave me, I plan on following her! Basically, she's stuck with me.  
_Sunday at 8:18pm_

**French Cherie **Awwww….that is trѐs sweet. But seriously, what Perv said. :P  
_Sunday at 8:18pm_

**Anglo Phile **well don't you sound like a keeper! How'd you two meet? I didn't even know there was a guy on the horizon!  
_Sunday at 8:19pm_

**Anglo Phile **(PS – GOOD ANSWER, MATE)  
_Sunday at 8:19pm_

**Perv Princess **^^^ what she said  
_Sunday at 8:20pm_

**Belle ofthe Ball **It wasn't easy! It took me three weeks to wear her down. I'm like the sun though…I wore her down until she had no energy left to resist my wily ways.  
_Sunday at 8:21pm_

**Allie Pie **HA! That's actually not far from the truth. Belles was playing hard to get or some such shit for some insane reason.  
_Sunday at 8:21pm_

**Perv Princess **WHAT? You said NO to Kiwi cock? What's wrong with you?  
_Sunday at 8:22pm_

**Belle ofthe Ball **Nice talking to you, ladies. I'm being kicked out so she can have girl time. Might wanna wrap this up quick tho… she's mine in 15 minutes ;)  
_Sunday at 8:22pm_

**Perv Princess **Nice… I like him  
_Sunday at 8:22pm_

**Anglo Phile **Nice meeting you, Mr. B!  
_Sunday at 8:23pm_

**French Cherie **Come back and play sometime, Edward!  
_Sunday at 8:23pm_

**Allie Pie **Laters, Edward!  
_Sunday at 8:23pm_

**Belle ofthe Ball **hi  
_Sunday at 8:25pm_

**Perv Princess **he gone?  
_Sunday at 8:25pm_

**Belle ofthe Ball **Yeah, he's fixing us a power snack *Swoon*  
_Sunday at 8:25pm_

**Perv Princess **then SPILL! I don't care about a snack! Gimme the good stuff!  
_Sunday at 8:26pm_

**Anglo Phile **Way to be subtle Perv!  
_Sunday at 8:26pm_

**French Cherie **She's just asking what we all want to know!  
_Sunday at 8:27pm_

**Anglo Phile **I know that! But she could at least pretend to have a little tact!  
_Sunday at 8:27pm_

**Perv Princess **No one asked you Anglo! :P  
_Sunday at 8:27pm_

**Perv Princess **Now tell us what happened!  
_Sunday at 8:27pm_

**French Cherie **We're waiting! You only have 13 minutes left!  
_Sunday at 8:27pm_

**Anglo Phile **Yeah and I would NOT want to keep him waiting. Have you girls SEEN those rugby players?  
_Sunday at 8:28pm_

**French Cherie **Do I need to post more pictures from the Dieux du Stade?  
_Sunday at 8:28pm_

**Perv Princess **YES! Yes you do, French!  
_Sunday at 8:28pm_

**Belle ofthe Ball **Okay, so he's on my team, and like Allie said he's one of the best players there is. I get him five times a week in my class since he plays for the AB's too. We kinda kissed a little bit a few weeks ago and I never told you guys because I was an idiot and freaked out and told him I just wanted to be friends.  
_Sunday at 8:29pm_

**French Cherie **WHAT! Why didn't you tell us?  
_Sunday at 8:29pm_

**Belle ofthe Ball **I was so dumb… I freaked out about repeating my mistakes with Jake and worried about losing my job over hooking up with a player  
_Sunday at 8:29pm_

**Belle ofthe Ball **He's seriously perfect though. Allie can attest… he's fucking sexy as hell and combined with his Kiwi accent – I never really stood a chance. And you guys saw how sweet he is up there^^^  
_Sunday at 8:30pm_

**Perv Princess **Awww…. Belles is in luuuuuuuurrrrrrrrrrrrvvvvvve eee!  
_Sunday at 8:30pm_

**Anglo Phile **Awww… so how'd you end up getting together then?  
_Sunday at 8:30pm_

**Allie Pie **Yes, yes… Edward is the perfect male specimen. And you girls know I wouldn't support this if he weren't a great guy. I've known Edward a long time and he's so smitten over our girl. It's almost sickening to watch.  
_Sunday at 8:31pm_

**Belle ofthe Ball **Love you too, allie. And what do you know? You haven't even seen us together yet!  
_Sunday at 8:31pm_

**Allie Pie **Exactly! That's what I know. Watching you two dance around each other the past three weeks, pretending like you weren't all googly-eyed over one another was bad enough. I can only imagine now that you're allowed to touch each other what you'll be like.  
_Sunday at 8:32pm_

**French Cherie **MDR  
_Sunday at 8:32pm_

**Anglo Phile **LOL  
_Sunday at 8:32pm_

**Perv Princess **BWAHAHAH  
_Sunday at 8:32pm_

**Belle ofthe Ball **Oh shuttup – you won't be able to tell a difference. We're going to be completely professional while at work.  
_Sunday at 8:33pm_

**Allie Pie **I don't care what you do at work! I never see you there.  
_Sunday at 8:33pm_

**Belle ofthe Ball **Oh yeah – well… then we'll probably be all over each other when you see us  
_Sunday at 8:33pm_

**French Cherie **Ugh! Can you two stop please? I get so jealous that you're together all the time now! Why can't someone move near me?  
_Sunday at 8:33pm_

**Belle ofthe Ball ***Mooshes Frechie* Sorry, bb. Love you. Maybe YOU should move HERE!  
_Sunday at 8:34pm_

**Perv Princess **Six minutes left girls!  
_Sunday at 8:34pm_

**Belle ofthe Ball **Okay! After we kissed and I pushed him away, he actually apologized to me the next time I saw him at work and asked if we could still be friends. Ever since then he was just really sweet and funny and flirty. He even helped me move out of Allie's house. I don't know… I guess I just eventually realized how dumb I was.  
_Sunday at 8:35pm_

**Allie Pie **What can I say? The man knew what he wanted and he wasn't afraid to enlist recruits to make it happen.  
_Sunday at 8:36pm_

**Belle ofthe Ball **It didn't hurt that his best friend and a few other people *side eyes Allie* were apparently doing everything in their sneaky power to get us together  
_Sunday at 8:36pm_

**Belle ofthe Ball **Edward asked YOU for help? I knew Em was up to something. I thought you were just doing it on your own  
_Sunday at 8:36pm_

**Allie Pie **No! He'd never do that… but Em called me a few times to "discuss strategy"  
_Sunday at 8:36pm_

**Belle ofthe Ball **Shocking  
_Sunday at 8:37pm_

**Anglo Phile **Who's Em?  
_Sunday at 8:37pm_

**Allie Pie **IKR  
_Sunday at 8:37pm_

**Allie Pie **Em is Edward's best friend. He's fucking hilarious, and Bella somehow won him over and manages to put him in his place sometimes. Not an easy feat!  
_Sunday at 8:38pm_

**Belle ofthe Ball **Edward said it's because I don't take his shit  
_Sunday at 8:38pm_

**French Cherie **All right – I'm with Perv here… get to the good stuff now! He's going to be back soon.  
_Sunday at 8:38pm_

**Belle ofthe Ball **Honestly I think he's waiting outside my door until my girl time is officially up. *giggles*  
_Sunday at 8:38pm_

**Perv Princess **THANK YOU!  
_Sunday at 8:38pm_

**Perv Princess **Okay – just answer one question then… everyone ask your one question now and she gets to pick!  
_Sunday at 8:38pm_

**Perv Princess **Is he hung?  
_Sunday at 8:39pm_

**Anglo Phile **What's his recovery time?  
_Sunday at 8:39pm_

**French Cherie **Does your sex life imitate our art?  
_Sunday at 8:39pm_

**Allie Pie **For the love of God please do not answer Perv's! Edward is like my brother. I do not need to do know that!  
_Sunday at 8:39pm_

**Belle ofthe Ball **No worries, Allie… this one is for French… YES, YES, YES! Except he's way better than any art I've ever read;)  
_Sunday at 8:40pm_

**Perv Princess **Well, mazel tov  
_Sunday at 8:40pm_

**Anglo Phile ***SWOOON*  
_Sunday at 8:40pm_

**French Cherie **SQUEE! Good for you! I'm so happy for you.  
_Sunday at 8:40pm_

**Belle ofthe Ball **Thanks girls. I love y'all sofa king much!  
_Sunday at 8:40pm_

**Anglo Phile **Love you too bb!  
_Sunday at 8:40pm_

**Belle ofthe Ball **K… I'm outta here! Gotta eat some calories to burn off;) Tell everyone else I said hi and I'll be back soon! Xoxoxo  
_Sunday at 8:40pm_

**Belle ofthe Ball **Allie – lunch tomorrow, right?  
_Sunday at 8:40pm_

**French Cherie **Laters, B! Have a good night ;)  
_Sunday at 8:41pm_

**Perv Princess **Have fun, bb! Glad you're so happy! *heart*  
_Sunday at 8:41pm_

**Anglo Phile **Night, Belles! Xoxo  
_Sunday at 8:41pm_

**Allie Pie **Definitely, Belle. I'll call you in the morning. *heart heart*  
_Sunday at 8:41pm_

**London Eye **ZOMG! I MISS EVERYTHING!  
_Sunday at 9:33pm_

**London Eye **Congrats Belle! Can't wait to hear more about this guy!  
_Sunday at 9:33pm_

**London Eye **And he even talked to some of us! WOW!  
_Sunday at 9:37pm_

**Snooze A Lot **IKR! My hubs wouldn't come near this group with a ten foot pole. Lucky bitch;)  
_Sunday at 10:02pm_

**Snooze A Lot **Good job, B! Happy for you! Miss your face!  
_Sunday at 10:02pm_

**Snickers Bar **I haz a jealous! I want a foreign boy so I can have an uncut cock! MWAH!  
_Sunday at 11:27pm_

**Valentine Baby **Classy, Snickers.  
_Sunday at 11:43pm_

**Snickers Bar **Can't hide class, V ;)  
_Sunday at 11:51pm_

* * *

**A/N: Thanks to born, amber, whiti, dream, intricacy, and marlea for their once over... I gave my usual team a break for this one and used these girls for authenticity purposes. This conversation could very well happen in my RL/FL. Tho, it'd probably be a touch dirtier... I'm the clean one of the group so my mind just couldn't come up with anything too risqué ;) BAHAHA. **

**Leave some love if you feel so inclined!**


	13. Chapter 11 - Never Again

**A/N: It's probably a good time to mention that I know very little about rugby. In fact, I read a children's book today about rugby and actually learned stuff. Just putting that out there!**

**Also - I have a new banner... SQUEE. The lovely Poppy made it for me. I love it and her... It's in my Facebook group so feel free to stop by!**

**Disclaimer: I'm not trying to infringe on Stephanie or Bailey's chocolate creamer…**

* * *

I pull into the car park Monday morning with Bella's hand gripped tightly in mine. I'm not ready for the weekend to be over, but Coach would have my arse if I throw a sickie today—not to mention Bella would never go for that. She's already lectured me about the importance of separating our personal lives from our professional lives, although that little speech _did_ come right after I finished whispering all of the dirty things I want to do to her in the middle of my field, so I can't really blame her.

We finally compromised on staying completely professional during business hours (Bella's demand), unless we happened to find ourselves alone in a room together, in which case I have free rein (my request). I'm sure that won't happen often with Emmett lurking around, but it should be enough to get me through. Plus, I think I can sneak a kiss or two if it's just Emmett.

Bella's teeth dig into her bottom lip as she stares out my car window toward her car. I know she's not ready for our weekend to be over either, and I wonder if she's thinking about the same things I am right now.

After nearly three hours of chaste touches and suggestive looks at Carlisle's yesterday, we were all over each other the moment we walked through Bella's front door. I ended up taking her against the wall in her hallway—it was fast and full of laughter mixed in with grunts of pleasure.

The remainder of the evening was spent in bed filling each other in on details of our past, and when our roaming hands became too much to ignore, my dick would pop up and find its way inside her. We kept our conversations light for the most part yesterday, discussing mostly good times in our past—mine all revolving around rugby, Emmett, Carlisle and Esme, or any combination thereof.

The conversation took a slight turn when she told me her mum bailed on her and her dad when she was four years old. Bella barely remembers her and seemed content knowing she'll likely never fully know the answers to all the whys.

I didn't offer pity, knowing how little it helps, but instead told her about my mum dying in a car wreck after I'd begged her to bring me to a friend's house. The other vehicle slammed into us on her side, crumpling the metal of the car as if it were a piece of paper. It happened so quickly, I barely even knew what was going on. Disoriented as I was, I'll never forget the feeling of her arm slapping against my chest to hold me against my seat, protecting me until her last breath.

The medics said she died on impact. I walked away with a few scratches.

Bella's eyes, full of compassion and understanding over the loss of a parent, found mine when she asked, "And your dad?"

I'd shaken my head and changed the subject. After years of therapy, I've come to terms with the fact that Mum's death was not my fault and made peace with myself over it. My dad is another story and one I wasn't willing to get into just yet, and thankfully Bella didn't press the issue, simply kissing me and absorbing my pain.

Eventually, her slow, deep kisses turned into a full-fledged lovemaking session. We took our time, in no rush for the moment to end, until finally she clenched around me and brought me to my own orgasm.

The rest of the evening was light and carefree. We even took a small break from the bedroom to chat with some of Bella's online friends—they proved to be an interesting group of women, and it was obvious they cared for Bella and were happy for her.

I'm pulled back into the present when a sharp rap at my window startles me, and I see Emmett's goofy face staring back at me. I flip him the bird then hold up two fingers and say, "Gizza minute?"

"Don't be surprised when I sneak into your office during my morning smoko."

Her face twists in confusion as she asks, "Your what?"

"My morning break. You haven't heard that one yet?"

Bella throws her head back against my headrest. "I think I have, and I just assumed they were going out for a smoke, which is kinda dumb considering you're all professional athletes. Besides, I know better than to assume anything."

Laughing, I tug on her hand to get her to look at me. "You do seem to get yourself into trouble doing that. C'mere."

I meet Bella between the seats and give her a soft kiss. She closes her eyes and offers a small snort. "This is ridiculous. I'm going to see you in a couple of hours."

Shaking my head, I kiss her forehead and reassure her. "It's not dumb. It was such a perfect weekend; I hate to see it end, too. I was thinking…we have a bye week coming up at the end of next month and Coach usually gives us a few days off—maybe we could go somewhere?"

Bella's eyes light up, and she throws her arms around my neck, squeezing me tightly to her body.

"I'll take that as a yes, then?" I laugh.

"Of course it's a yes! I didn't think I'd be able to leave Auckland until the season was over in July, but I'm dying to explore more of New Zealand!"

I frame her face and give her a hard kiss—just long enough to last us through the morning. "Let's go before Emmett drops his pants and we're staring at his arse."

Bella's face scrunches up, and I can't help but kiss the end of her nose before grabbing my bag from the back seat and opening my door. Emmett, who has apparently been keeping a closer eye on us than I thought, opens the door for Bella before I'm even able to get out of the car. He takes Bella's bag and throws his arm over her shoulder as they start off toward the entrance together.

"Working hours, Eddie—you have to share her now! How're we doing this anyway? If this is supposed to be top secret, you guys make shitty ninjas—everyone knows Ninja Code 101 of keeping an illicit relationship on the down low is to _not_ show up in the car park together and cop a feel before work," Emmett snarks.

"Our relationship is not illicit, Emmett. Don't be a sheep's arse," I retort, "and we're not keeping it a secret, but obviously we're going to remain professional at work. If people figure it out, so be it."

Bella turns to me, a look of surprise on her face as Emmett eyes me warily. "What?" I ask. "Bella wants to keep her professional integrity intact, and I'd never do anything to jeopardize that."

"You feeling okay?" she asks me. "I've only heard 'tackle you on the field Monday' about eighteen times since Friday night."

Laughing, I nudge her arm before opening the door and ushering her through. "Of course I'm okay. I do have _some_ restraint, you know? Besides, I can do all of my tackling in bed tonight."

Bella shakes her head at me, and we drop her off at her office before heading to the weight room.

oOoOoOo

My tired body is proof the season has started, and we've all upped the ante. I'm only able to sneak off to see Bella twice on Monday and just have time for a quick kiss before having to take off again.

Then of course, there's my Pilates session with her. If I thought her class was torture before, it's _nothing_ compared to now. Knowing what the soft skin of her stomach feels like beneath my fingertips, the way her nipple pebbles when I suck it in my mouth and gently bite down, or the way her tight pussy clenches around my cock when she rides out her orgasm makes being this close to her, but unable to touch her, almost unbearable.

Somehow, I survive the torture and am rewarded with a quick, but unfortunately fully-clothed, bump and grind session against her office door before I have to turn her over to Alice for lunch.

At the end of the day, the entire team gathers on the field with the coaches to discuss what adjustments are needed to prepare for this weekend's game. Bella strides onto the field with the players from her last group of the day and offers me a small smile before joining the other coaches.

I'm front and centre in our makeshift huddle, and I sit patiently through each coach's spiel waiting for Bella's turn. As luck would have it, or maybe the fact that I bribed Coach, Bella's the last to speak and remains close to the front when Coach dismisses us.

"Coach?" I say, before anyone really has a chance to leave. "I just want to make sure we're officially done for the day. Off the clock so to speak?"

All eyes are on me and an amused grin pops onto Jasper's face. Bella's eyes widen as she gives her head a tiny shake.

"Yeah, we're officially off the clock," Jasper answers.

Bella's already starting to back up, but she's barely taken two steps when she bumps into Emmett, who seems to have magically appeared behind her. When she turns, he simply offers his best shit-eating grin and waves his fingers at her before crossing his arms over his chest and blocking her quick escape.

Bella turns back to me as I stalk toward her. Her face is stern, but I hear the amusement in her voice when she warns me, "Edward…"

"I promised not during working hours, baby," I tell her as I make a show of stretching my arms and continue forward, "and you heard Coach just now—we're done for the day, so it's time to take you home."

With that, I charge toward her, scooping her up and throwing her over my shoulder amidst the whoops and hollers from my teammates. Strangely enough, I pay them no mind as I jog off the field with my girl in my arms. The competitive bloke in me has thought of little else other than making sure everyone knows Bella's mine, but the look of delight on Bella's face and her squeals of glee beat staking my claim any day.

oOoOoOo

Grunting, I return the bar to the uprights and drop my arms to my chest. Thank fuck that was my last set, because I'm not sure I could take another one. The lack of sleep this weekend and the extra-long day on Tuesday are starting to catch up to me. I'm actually glad Bella insisted I go home and crash last night because no matter what I told her, there's no way I would've gotten to her apartment and gone straight to sleep with her sexy arse lying next to me. Even with a full night's sleep last night, my body is screaming its protest.

I take a deep breath and pull myself off the bench to help Emmett add extra weights for his sets, and I'm a little surprised he seems just as worn out as I am as we work in silence. While we have to stay late again today, at least I'll be out in time for a late dinner—and an early bedtime—at Bella's.

Needless to say, I'm excited.

Emmett powers through his first set with relative ease, and he's just started his second when Riley approaches.

"How's it going, mate?" he asks, offering his hand.

Keeping a close eye on Emmett, I clap his hand in mine and return to my post. "Pretty good—trying to get used to the heavier schedule, but other than that, I can't complain. You?"

"Same. Although I gotta say it's been a little easier transition this year than last year. I guess I have you two to thank for that… bringing me in here early every day, or maybe it's Bella's doing with all those damn positions she has us in."

Emmett rests the bar in the uprights as he finishes his second set and tilts his head to acknowledge Riley but stays focused on his goal.

"Probably a little bit of both," I answer.

"Listen," Riley starts, lowering his voice a little, "I just wanted to make sure we're okay. I didn't realise you and Bella were a thing the other night. I wouldn't have tried to chat her up if I'd known."

"Thanks, Riley, but don't worry about it. We weren't really together until this weekend; although that doesn't mean I didn't want to rearrange your face Friday night either!" I joke.

"I can see why. She's a pretty sweet chick. I hope things work out between you." Riley offers his hand again before adding as an afterthought, "Unless that means you go back to the States with her. Can't have the best first five there is leaving us for a country that doesn't even play real football!"

I laugh with Riley as he walks away, but his joke slaps me in the face with a cold dose of reality. Emmett merely offers me a sympathetic look before starting his last set, and now it's impossible for me _not_ to think about the issue. By some unspoken agreement, Bella and I have thus far avoided talking about the future if her job isn't extended into next season.

The selfish part of me wants her to stay here and find another job if that happens. She's barely even been here a month, and she's already surrounded by friends who love her and want the best for her. It doesn't sound like she has that kind of support system back home, but there's no way I can ask her to make that kind of sacrifice for me.

What the fuck would I do in the United States, though? I can't imagine not playing sports, and I don't think gridiron is close enough to rugby for me to transition easily, but it's definitely something to look into. I make a mental note to find out more about American football before bringing up the subject with Bella. There's a good chance she'll want to stay here regardless, but if not, I need a backup plan so she knows how serious I am about her.

Thankfully, Emmett finishes his last set with no difficulty. As he gets up to move toward the chest press, he claps me on the shoulder and says, "Don't worry, Edward. You'll figure it out together. That girl is as committed to this relationship as you are."

oOoOoOo

The scent of steak and peppers fills my nostrils as I open the door to Bella's flat that night, and my stomach grumbles appreciatively. She doesn't hear me come in because her iPod is blaring from her stereo, and it only takes a minute before I realize what song is playing. I lean against the wall and watch my girl mumble and jumble the verse before belting out, "Don't let the dayyyys gooo byyyy… Glycerine."

Smiling, I sneak up behind her and snake my arm around her waist, startling her. She relaxes when she realises it's me and melts into my embrace. I kiss my way up her neck and gently nibble on her ear before whispering, "I didn't know you were a Bush fan."

Bella grips my hands and turns her face to meet my lips, kissing me hello.

"You kidding? I was all over the new album they released last year, though I can't say it's as good as their old stuff," she laments.

"Now I'm really shocked. You're not even old enough to remember their old stuff!"

"Ha ha! Very funny." She lightly whacks my arm. "My dad's into this kind of music, so I grew up with it. I don't mind mainstream pop either, but when I'm really jonesing for something good, I play Bush, or Oasis, or sometimes the Chili Peppers."

"Why, Coach Bella, I'm starting to think you have a thing for foreign men."

Giggling, Bella squirms around in my arms until she's facing me and clasps her hands together behind my neck. "Just now figuring that out, huh? Maybe you aren't as smart as I think you are."

"I was smart enough to snatch you up," I answer and then lean down to kiss her properly. It's been too long since I've held every inch of her body pressed firmly against mine.

Her fingers scratch through the coarse hair at the nape of my neck as she pulls away. "Ready for dinner? I made beef stir fry—figured the red meat would do you some good tonight."

"Sounds perfect. I'm starving," I say, releasing her and grabbing one of the plates she's left on the counter.

While we eat, I fill Bella in on the conversation I had with Riley, and she tells me Riley offered her an apology as well, but she brushed it off as no big deal. I'm relieved to hear none of the other guys have given her any grief. With the exception of James, I didn't really expect any, but some things are impossible to predict.

I help Bella clean up when we're finished eating and lean against her counter when she starts programming the coffee maker for the morning.

"I stopped by the store today and picked up some chocolate creamer for you. Want me to make enough for you, too?" She throws out the question offhandedly while she measures out the right amount of coffee grounds, but for some reason her simple gesture affects me in anything but a casual way.

I'm starting to realise what I've been missing out on by not allowing myself to get close to another woman for fear of being as hurt and devastated as my old man was when Mum died. Bella's thoughtful purchase makes me fall just a little bit harder for her, and I'm so thankful she came into my life at the right time, thankful I wasn't so scared that I ran in the other direction.

Some things are worth fighting for…and she's definitely one of them.

I grab her hand when she finishes measuring the grounds, making enough for both of us even though I never answered, and tug her a little closer. "You bought me chocolate creamer?"

She smiles up at me, obviously unaware of the mini-epiphany running through my mind right now, and says, "Oh yeah, and not just any chocolate—Bailey's Chocolate. Listen to this." She turns and grabs the bottle of creamer from the fridge and proceeds to read: "If chocolate is your indulgence, this is your creamer. Not just any chocolate, either! The close your eyes, melt in your mouth chocolate that makes the hair on the back of your neck stand at attention. It's been said that love is a substitute for chocolate, but last we checked, love never made your coffee taste this dreamy."

The excitement over her purchase is all over her face and in the inflection in her voice as she reads the bottle of creamer to me and continues talking. "I mean really…who wouldn't want that? It was way better than the other creamers. I might have to steal some tomorrow so I can taste!"

I smile down at her, my heart practically bursting out of my chest and wanting me to tell her things I'm not sure either of us is ready to say or hear. Instead, I pull her close again and kiss her lips softly. "Thank you, Bella. I really appreciate it."

Bella rolls her eyes a little at me and I love the fire I see in her right now. "It's just a six dollar bottle of creamer, baby. It's not like I bought you a car."

I chuckle at her comparison and lean my forehead against hers. "Regardless, thank you because I'm definitely going to need a pick-me-up in the morning, and I really don't care for coffee at all."

Bella wiggles her arms beneath mine and around my waist. "Well, you're very welcome. And you obviously weren't listening very well …this coffee is going to be awesome—not even love can make your coffee taste this dreamy!"

I can't stop myself this time and decide to go for broke…sort of. "Bella," I hesitate before continuing, "you should probably know that I'm pretty much falling in _chocolate_ with you."

Her face registers her confusion while she works out what I've just said. It shouldn't be earth-shattering news given the way our relationship has gone so far, but I'm still a little nervous about scaring her away again.

I let my words sink in and give her a moment to decide how to respond. I'm holding my breath when she lays her head on my chest and whispers, "I'm falling in _chocolate_ with you, too. It terrifies me sometimes, but I hope you know how happy I am."

I pull back, silently requesting she look at me again, and when I'm rewarded with those deep, soulful eyes I say, "It scares me, too, but I'm pretty sure we'll be okay."

I lean down and kiss her again, hoping to reassure her as much as I can, but Bella takes me off guard when she climbs up my body, wrapping her arms around my neck and holding onto my waist with her legs. "Bedroom," she murmurs, barely taking a breath.

I squeeze her arse and she grinds herself against my now rock hard dick as I start toward her room. As her teeth find purchase on my neck, my mind is already working on the fastest way to get our clothes off when Bella suddenly pulls away and screams, "Wait! The creamer! It needs to go back in the fridge."

She grips my neck tighter with one hand and points with the other, making her rub against my cock again. "Seriously? We can get it later, baby."

She pulls back to look at me and the friction down below makes me grunt. Her eyebrow cocks up and she says, "Once we get in that bed, you know we aren't getting out."

Groaning, I walk back into the kitchen before setting her down on the counter, so I can put the creamer back in her refrigerator. I turn back to Bella and hold my arms out. "Hop on."

Instead, Bella grabs my T-shirt and pulls me closer before bunching the material in her fist and pulling it over my head. "I changed my mind," she says. "I want you to fuck me here. Please?"

Bella's words practically bring me to my knees. A feeling of overwhelming possessiveness surges through me, and the only thing I can think of is getting inside my girl. I feel like one of the vampires in the stories Bella's always reading, wanting to mark her with my scent to warn everyone else away.

Bella deftly works my shorts down my legs, and I practically growl at her before attacking her mouth and working her shirt off. Within seconds we're both naked, and she's teasing my dick with her hand. She reaches for my balls and rolls them around once, and I quickly decide I need a break, or this is going to be over with before it even starts. I gently pull her hand away and kneel in front of her.

Bella automatically spreads her legs for me, offering a view of her bare, slick pussy. I slowly run my tongue from her entrance up to her clit and back down again. Bella's soft mewls tell me she likes it, so on the next pass up, I suck her hard nub between my teeth and flick my tongue over it.

Bella cries out and I hear a loud _thunk_ as her head slams back into the cabinets, but when I pull away to make sure she's okay, her hand pushes me back and she begs, "NO! Please don't stop!"

I don't really have any other option with her hand holding me in place, so I go back to work on my girl. I add my fingers, almost mesmerizing myself as I watch them pump in and out of her. Bella's panting speeds up and it doesn't take long before she's right on the edge, but now is not the time for teasing. My cock is desperate to be inside her.

Pulling her clit back in my mouth, I sweep my tongue around it as I scissor my fingers inside her, searching for the magic spot. She jumps a little when my fourth finger, currently not buried inside her pussy, inadvertently grazes her back hole. I peek at her face and she doesn't look completely turned off, so I press against it again, more firmly this time but not hard enough to enter—that's definitely a conversation to have beforehand.

It pays off because within seconds, I feel the now familiar flutters of Bella's walls around my fingers as she finds her release, and my jealous cock twitches as my fingers and tongue are coated in Bella's juices.

That's got to be the hottest motherfucking thing ever.

My cock bobs in agreement as I quickly stand and line myself up with her. She's still leaning back, her head against the cabinets, but she quickly sits up and wraps her arms around my neck, ready to hold on.

Bella buries her head in my neck and clings to me while I sink into her, going slow enough to allow her to recover, but fast enough to appease my greedy cock. After a minute, I feel Bella's hot breath against my neck as she kisses and nibbles on my sweaty skin. When she pulls back and covers my mouth with hers, I grip her hips and pull her closer to me, practically off of the counter, as I quicken my pace.

Bella bounces with me, squeezing my cock as I slide in and out of her, and my balls slapping against her arse seems to be the loudest sound in the room. Bella must be hell-bent on making me come as fast as she can the way she's continuously clenching my now ready-to-burst cock.

I tear my mouth away from hers and lower my head to her shoulder when I feel my orgasm starting in the pit of my stomach. "Fuck!" I bellow out, as it rolls through every muscle in my body and finally explodes out of my cock and into her. "Fucking hell, woman," I pant. "I chocolate you so fucking much."

Her tinkling laughter squeezes my now worn out dick, and for once I'm too exhausted to think about round two just yet, so I slip out of her and grab us some paper towels to clean up. It's not ideal, but it'll do until we can get to her bathroom.

She playfully swats at my arse when I turn to discard the paper towels, so I snatch her off the counter and throw her over my shoulder. "Watch it or I'll spank your arse for being so naughty."

Bella bellows out a laugh and pops my arse again, "What makes you think I wouldn't like that?"

My mouth drops open and my cock twitches at her comment. I don't know if I'm more surprised at her words or the fact that my dick seems to think he has another round in him again so soon. After a mental 'down boy' to the guy below, I make my way to her bathroom where we quickly clean ourselves up.

It's still relatively early, so we lie in her bed and watch a little television before going to sleep. After forty-five minutes of Bella's head on my chest and her fingers lightly playing with the hair just beneath my belly button, I can no longer take the teasing and pull her up for a long deep kiss.

We spend the next thirty minutes making out like a couple of teenagers and feeling each other up. Bella finally pulls away when she feels me stifle my third yawn. She gives me a quick peck on the lips, telling me in no uncertain terms our play time is over.

I fall asleep with my girl in my arms, blissfully content.

oOoOoOo

Thankfully, the next day is relatively light since we have a game on Friday, so when Bella and I sit down to dinner with Alice and Jasper at my flat, I'm not nearly as exhausted as I was the night before.

Listening to Bella and Alice talk is almost scary sometimes. Since Bella's only been here a month, I forget how well she knows Alice, their close friendship dating back well over a year, and I swear sometimes they talk in code. I kind of want to pull my hair out when Bella stops in mid-sentence and Alice exclaims, "I KNOW!" without hearing the end of the story. I mean, I'm not a fucking mind reader, you know?

Eventually, Jasper and I give up and start talking strategy for our upcoming game against the Hurricanes. The doorbell rings just as we're starting to clear the table, and I roll my eyes at Bella's questioning glance. "It's probably Emmett. You know he can't stand to be left out of anything."

Bella and Alice laugh while Jasper shakes his head in amusement.

"You're right," Bella says. "Maybe we should do this once a week with all six of us. Oh, or even invite your brother and Esme!" Her eyes light up and she's already making plans with Alice about rotating houses, having pot lucks, or progressive dinners—whatever the fuck that is—when I reach the door.

"Couldn't stand it could you, Emme…" The words die on my tongue as I look into my hallway and see the one person I never thought I'd see again.

"Dad?"

* * *

**A/N: I've been warned by my beta to let everyone know the next chapter is written! There will be NO delay. Promise!**

**Speaking of… THANK YOU so much to my girls. Amber, born, chaya, whiti, and yummy rock my world. Born and Chaya especially turned this around in record time so I could post today when they have their own crazy lives to deal with. Send them all love. They deserve it.**

**Rec: I've just recently fell in love with Discordia81… and her writing is pretty good too;) I found her through her Taste of the Forbidden Contest entry, **_**Beyond the Break Room**_**, and was so excited when she decided to continue it. This girl can write some lemons, lemme tell ya! I'm also reading, **_**The**__**Life of a Wedding Photographer**_**, which I just adore…she has me on the edge of my seat and begging for updates. She also dabbles in a little slash, which most of you know I kinda have a huge thing for;) Go check her out!**

**Reviews are love!**


	14. Chapter 12 - Entwined Together

**A/N: Thank you, thank you, thank you! You guys rock so hard! **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.**

* * *

_"Couldn't stand it could you, Emme…" The words die on my tongue as I look into my hallway and see the one person I never thought I'd see again._

_"Dad?" _

_._

_._

_._

"Um…hello, Edward."

"What are you doing here? I mean, what the fuck…" My anguished voice trails off as I try to process what's happening. I have neither seen nor heard from this man in well over a decade.

He at least has the courtesy to appear chagrined as he looks to the floor when he answers, "I was hoping I could talk to you. Is now not a good time?"

"Is now not a good time?" I ask, my voice rising with each syllable. "What the fuck kinda question is that, Dad? Regardless of what you're here for, I'd say it's about fifteen years too late." I mean, really! What the fuck is this?

I feel a hand slide up my back and then Bella's pressed against me, offering her silent support. My father's eyes flicker to her, and he looks back down at the ground. "I'm sorry. I didn't realise you had company."

I can't help the scoff that escapes my mouth. "_That's_ what you're sorry for?"

"Yes, among other things. I came here to talk, and I know you have every right to be angry with me, but I'd appreciate it if you'd at least hear me out."

My entire body is tensed in anger, and I feel as if I could explode into a million pieces. What the fuck was he thinking showing up unannounced on my damn welcome mat as if he were dropping by for Sunday fucking tea? My mind races with all the possible reasons for him to be here: he needs money and thinks his famous son will help him out; he's on his deathbed and trying to make amends, or maybe he's just a bastard and wants to blame Mum's death on me again.

I try not to think that he could be here to truly make amends. For one, it seems like too much to wish for, and for another, I'm not entirely sure what I'd do if that were the case. There was a time I would've given up everything for my father's forgiveness, but I've lived enough now to understand love and responsibilities, and I wonder if he might be too late for my forgiveness.

My anger surges as the possibilities run through my head, and I resist the urge to punch a hole through the wall. Who does he think he is coming into my home and acting like a father—chastising me for being upset because he's pushed his way back into my life with absolutely no warning whatsoever? He wants me to hear him out _now_?

"Fuck that! Why should I listen to you?" I all but shout. Bella's hand snakes down my arm and she wiggles her fingers into my clenched fist, trying to ease my tension.

My dad glances at Bella again. "Maybe we should talk about this alone."

A strangled laugh escapes me. "I haven't agreed to talk about this at all."

"Edward," Bella murmurs. "Why don't you two take a break, and maybe think about this over the weekend—_after_ your game."

Surprise registers on my father's face, and his smile is one I haven't seen since before my mum died. "You're American, aye? I'm Edward's dad, Edward Cullen, Sr., although most people call me Eddie."

"I'm Edward's girlfriend, Bella."

His smile widens and he hold out his hand to shake hers, "Well, it's very nice to meet you, then."

Instead of offering her hand, Bella quirks her head to the side and studies my father before saying, "I wish I could say the same, but you've clearly upset Edward and interrupted our evening. Perhaps you should've called first."

"I didn't think he'd see me if I called first," my dad replies.

Without missing a beat Bella rebounds, "I don't think I'd blame him."

Bella's support helps ground me enough to collect my thoughts so I squeeze her hand in thanks. "Bella's right. I have a game tomorrow." Sighing, I scratch my head as I try to figure out how to process everything happening right now. "I can't deal with this right now. Leave your number and I'll think about calling."

I'm surprised that my tone sounds even more defeated than I already feel.

Bella's hand rubs small circles on my back as she says, "I'll go get a pen."

Without her by my side, I can't even look into his face and not feel overcome with the urge to hit something. Then and there, I decide to go in early tomorrow for a few rounds with the boxing bag.

Maybe I'll tape a picture of his face to it.

He startles me out of my fantasy when he speaks up again. "I didn't come here to hurt you, Edward. I know you have no reason to believe me when I say that, but I would really appreciate the chance to at least apologise and explain why it's taken me so long. I know I don't deserve your forgiveness—hell, I don't even deserve an hour of your time to explain—but I couldn't let you go the rest of your life thinking I don't care." His voice is quiet, and he sounds sincere, but his words are too much for me to handle.

What the fuck am I supposed to do with this?

"Does Carlisle know you're here?" I ask.

"No. I wanted to get the chance to at least see you, and I figured if I saw him first, he'd warn you away. He was always so protective of you—I'm glad you had him."

Anger courses through me again, and my eyes flash to his. His face falls as he reads the emotions written all over mine—Carlisle shouldn't have needed to be my protector, especially not from my own father. Before I can come up with a response, Bella is at my side, handing a pen and notepad to my dad.

He scribbles his name and number down and gives it back to Bella. "Please just think about it," he pleads before nodding at Bella and finally turning to walk away.

I close the door and before it even clicks shut, Bella's arms are wrapped around me, offering comfort and love. After a few minutes, she pulls back and suggests, "I'll let Jasper and Alice know we'll see them tomorrow if you just want to sneak off to your room."

"I'm okay. I'll go with you. Besides, I need to make sure it's okay with Coach if I go in early. I'm not supposed to change shit up on game day, and I want to hit the bags."

My arms fall from her waist, and I start toward the living room. I've taken a couple steps when I realise Bella's not with me, so I stop and turn back to her, holding out my hand. I ask, "You coming?"

She looks at me, eyes a little watery, offers a weak smile, and says nothing as she reaches for my hand.

Worry settles in the pit of my stomach, and I hope this turn of events is not too much for our very new relationship to handle. Given my past with women, I don't have much experience with relationships extending past a couple of weeks, and even those women would've bolted at the first sign of drama. I know Bella cares a lot for me, but we haven't even been together a week—maybe it's still too soon for her to deal with my shitty past.

When her hand joins with mine though, her smile becomes a little stronger, and the tightness in my stomach eases just a bit. Suddenly, I feel like an idiot for not giving Bella more credit—I know she's different from all of the other women I've dated, but having my father pop back into my life has my thoughts and my emotions running rampant.

Jasper and Alice, having heard the entire confrontation, stand as we re-enter the living room, ready to say their goodbyes. Thankfully, Jasper gives me leave to switch up my routine tomorrow as long as I don't wear myself out before the game.

Alice hugs Bella before turning to me and giving me one as well. She squeezes a little tighter and a beat longer than normal, and I'm reminded how lucky I am to have such good friends in my life.

Bella hesitates at the door to my bedroom and stops before walking inside. "Why don't you take a bath or something and relax while I clean up what's left over from dinner? Alice and Jasper took care of some of it, but I don't want to leave the dishes 'til morning."

My stomach twists again. It's like every insecure thought that ran through my head when Dad abandoned me came rushing back the moment I opened my front door. Even though I just convinced myself that Bella's in this for the long haul, I can't stop myself from clarifying her intentions for the night. "Are you still staying here tonight?"

Bella's eyes widen as she looks up at me. "Of course, I am-unless you don't want me to."

"No, I definitely want you here. I just didn't know if you wanted to deal with all this right now. It's not going to be pretty no matter what I decide."

A sad smile forms on her face. "I think you're forgetting I know a thing or two about people walking out of your life for no good reason. Besides, you don't abandon people you… _chocolate_…just because things get tough," Bella says as her smile turns playful. "At least, that's not the way I roll. I'll be back in a few minutes." She reaches up to plant a light kiss on my lips before returning to the kitchen.

I've never been one to take baths for no reason but decide it can't hurt. I'm pleasantly surprised to discover that years of warm baths after rugby matches have programmed my body to relax as soon as it hits the water.

oOoOoOo

As much as I'd wanted Bella to stay with me, I'm grateful for the time to myself as I sort through everything my dad said. Still, when I hear her moving around in my bedroom, I push myself out of the tub and dry myself quickly before pulling on my boxers and heading into my bedroom to join her. She looks comfortable, snuggled under the covers in my bed while playing on her phone.

She puts her phone away when she sees me and pulls the covers back for me to join her. I lay my head on her stomach as I settle in and close my eyes as she runs her fingers through my hair.

"I'm sorry you had to be here for that."

"You don't have any reason to be sorry. I just wish there were more I could do to help."

I peek up at her and catch her staring off to the side, her pretty face marred with frown lines. "I guess you figured out I haven't seen my dad since a little bit after Mum died."

"I gathered it was something like that. You don't have to tell me if you don't want to, you know."

"No, I do. Of course I want to tell you. It's not like I was keeping it a secret from you. I just didn't expect him to show up on my doorstep six days into our relationship. _Seriously_, who does that?"

"I don't know. I guess someone who wants to make amends," she comments thoughtfully, her fingers now rubbing the tight bands in my back.

"Too little, too late, don'tcha think?" I chuff.

Bella sighs and contemplates her words before speaking. "I don't really know what happened, so I can't figure out what to think. What I _do_ know is that you're one of the most patient and understanding people I've ever met, so whatever happened must've been pretty bad. Do you want to talk about it?"

"Not really…but I want you to know. I've never told this to anyone other than my therapist, so bear with me." I pull myself up and lean against the headboard, pulling her with me so she's leaning against my chest.

Bella waits patiently, her thumb trailing small circles on my arm, while I gather my thoughts. "Before my mum died, I always thought she and my dad were pretty sweet parents. I was a teenage boy, so I lashed out at them from time to time and said things I didn't mean, but I knew I was lucky to have parents that cared about me and each other. I had several friends whose parents had split up, but it wasn't something I could fathom ever happening to mine. They were so in love with each other…it was kinda gross actually."

I chuckle at a memory of my dad snaking his arm around Mum when she was trying to get ready to go out and burying his head in her neck. She'd chastised him and told him to stop, but the smile never left her face as she squirmed around in his arms. "He was so affectionate toward her, and I never heard him utter a single bad word against her. The first fourteen years of my life, he taught me how to love and respect a woman."

Deep breath.

"When Mum died after the crash, he took it really hard. I mean _really_ hard. Carlisle and Esme were already married, but they had to move in with us for a couple of weeks while Dad grieved. I'd already been close to my brother, but those two weeks brought us even closer. He mourned Mum with me and took care of me while Dad did…whatever he did until he started to pull himself together."

"That's awful," Bella murmurs. "I'm so glad you had Carlisle and Esme…no wonder you guys are so close."

"Yeah, but that's just the start. Once Dad was able to go back to work and start taking care of me again, things were okay for a little bit…a few weeks maybe. We didn't talk much about what had happened…not at all really. I'd catch him staring at me, but I never knew what he was thinking."

I tighten my grip on Bella and steel myself for the next part of the story.

"Anyway, Carlisle and even Esme were so supportive and really helped me come to terms with Mum's death. They even had me believing it wasn't my fault she'd died."

Bella gasps and looks up at me with pain-filled eyes. "Oh, Edward, you know it wasn't your fault, right? That's like saying my mom left because I was a bad child."

"I know _now_, but as a fourteen-year-old kid who'd just lost his mum because he'd begged her to drive him somewhere, I had a hard time believing that. Carlisle talked me through it every day, and I eventually came around. Of course, when Dad started coming back to life that helped, too, but then one day he was staring at me like he sometimes did, except I could almost feel the hatred rolling off of him. As soon as he noticed me looking back, he left the room without uttering a word, but it happened more and more often after that, and eventually he started pulling away from me again. I had no clue what was going on with him because he still refused to talk to me.

"One day, I was having a particularly bad day. I'd gotten in trouble at school for picking a fight because someone had made a stupid joke about another guy's mum. I just lost it. I couldn't stand the thought of them so carelessly throwing around insults like that when I didn't have mine anymore."

I shake my head at the memory while Bella rubs soothing circles against my chest. "My dad was so angry when he got the call from the school. He was yelling and cursing at me, and as much as I hated how mad he was at me without even listening to my side of the story, part of me revelled in it. I couldn't remember the last time my dad had paid me this much attention or even shown this much emotion in general.

"So, I argued with him and defended myself, even though I knew I was wrong—the kid didn't deserve for me to attack him; everyone was just goofing around—but the second I tried to explain that I was defending Mum, Dad lost it. He told me it was my fault she was dead in the first place, and if I'd never been born, he'd still have his wife. He said he couldn't stand the sight of me anymore because I just reminded him of what he'd never have again." My voice cracks and Bella tightens her hold on me, pressing a light kiss to my chest.

"I just kinda sank to the ground and let him unload on me. I remember thinking maybe if he got it all off his chest we could move on, but then he said something about Carlisle treating me like a glass sculpture—I don't even remember what he said exactly—I just knew that he had no right to say anything against my brother who'd done everything he could to take care of me and keep our family whole since Mum died. He could say whatever he wanted about me. It's not like it was anything I hadn't already thought myself, but I lost it when he put down Carlisle.

"I was on my feet and in his face in an instant, yelling right back at him. Some small part of me still hoped this was the turning point in us getting over this." I shake my head at my naivety. "Like this was some fucking romance comedy movie or some shit."

"That sounds like more of a tragedy to me, baby," Bella comments, her fingers running over the sparse hair on my chest.

"No shit," I huff. "Anyway, I lost it and told him to go fuck himself. I'd never spoken like that to him before, but I was a fucking fourteen-year-old kid who couldn't figure out why his dad was trying to make him feel like shit. He was supposed to be helping me, you know?

"Anyway, I never even saw it coming. He pulled back and punched me—bam!—right in the eye. I was so shocked, I hit the ground right away. I just lay there, wondering what had happened to my life, still thinking maybe he'd apologise and tell me how he just got carried away, and it would never happen again. Instead, he kicked me out of his way and told me if I was going to live in his house, I better pay him the respect he was due. Then he walked out of the room, and I never saw him again until tonight."

"Shit, baby," Bella breathes out. "I don't even know what to say. 'I'm sorry' doesn't even begin to cover it."

"There's nothing to say really. I'm just glad my crazy life isn't too much for you to deal with right now."

Bella lifts her face and stares right in my eyes. "That's not even possible. I hope I haven't made you think I'm not completely in this relationship. Those first few weeks were exactly what I needed to prove what and who I want, and that's you. Please don't doubt us right now. You have enough to worry about."

"Fuck, I needed to hear that." I whisper. "Thank you."

"So back to your story…what happened after that?"

"Well, I lay there for a while, sobbing my eyes out and trying to figure out what to do. I actually contemplated staying there and apologising to _him_ until Carlisle called. I didn't answer the phone. I knew he'd come over if I told him what happened, and once I realised I had somewhere to go, all I wanted was to get out. So I packed up my shit and headed to his place—they'd just gotten married, so they were still living in a flat in the city. I had to walk about three kilometres to the bus stop and wait almost an hour for the right bus, so I'd had a lot of time to think by the time I got there.

"Carlisle opened the door before I even knocked and pulled me inside—no questions asked. He eventually told me Dad had called him and told him we'd gotten in a fight. Needless to say, when I told Carlisle the full story, he was irate."

"I guess he was," Bella comments, "although it's hard for me to imagine Carlisle being upset."

I chuckle at her observation. "I'm telling you, I'd never seen him like that before, nor have I since."

Bella peers up at me. "So, you're seriously telling me that after all that, your dad never contacted you or checked on you, but he just showed up here tonight—no warning whatsoever—and asked to talk?"

I throw my head back against the headboard. "Yeah. What the fuck is that? You know? What am I supposed to do with that? Did he just expect me to welcome him into my home with open arms?"

"I don't have a clue what he was thinking tonight…or back then. You know you didn't deserve that, right? Parents aren't supposed to act like that. It almost sounds as if he were mentally ill—like he had a nervous breakdown. That's still not an excuse, but at least it would be an explanation."

"It's the only thing I can come up with, too. I went through years of therapy to deal with this, Bella. I was a hellion for Carlisle and Esme for a while. I was so angry and confused and hurt. I knew I didn't want to hurt them, but they were the only people I had left to hurt, and it was so unfair to them. They weren't even twenty-five yet and had to take in some cocky-arsed fourteen-year-old who was so mad at the world, he couldn't even think straight. They tried to let me work it out on my own, but it was obvious after a couple of months that I needed help."

Bella quickly swipes at her eyes with her hand, and I continue, eager to finish. "My therapist immediately suggested getting me into extra-curricular activities, and since Esme had just started working for the Blues, she encouraged me to start playing rugby. I was a natural and my pent-up aggression made me that much more effective on the field. I poured everything I had into every practice and jumped at the chance to join Esme at Eden Park every time she offered.

"Once I had rugby as an outlet, combined with therapy and Carlisle and Esme's constant support, I eventually accepted my mum's death wasn't my fault. It took me a while longer to believe I didn't deserve my dad's anger. I haven't been to therapy in about nine years. We'd talked about how I would handle it if my dad ever tried to contact me, but I gave up that thought a couple years after I made it big. I figured if I'd become a famous sports star and he still hadn't sought me out, it just wasn't going to happen."

Bella's tone relays her bewilderment. "I can't even imagine." She crawls on top of me, her stomach pressed against mine, and props herself up on my chest while her fingers play with the hair by my ears. "Do you have any idea what you're going to do?"

"No." I let my fingers roam on the sliver of exposed skin above her shorts. "What do you think?"

"It's hard to really know what to do. I kinda want to just rip your father's eyeballs out, but I think I'd eventually want answers if I were you. If you don't hear him out, you'll probably always wonder and regret it."

Sighing, I wrap my arms completely around her tiny frame, pulling her closer to me. "You're right. Can I just pretend for the rest of the night that I'm going to ignore him and have the satisfaction of making him wonder what _I'm_ thinking and feeling for the next fifteen years?"

Bella laughs into my neck. "Sure, whatever you want—I think you've earned that much. Do you think you'll be okay tomorrow? You said no one else knows about this? Not even Emmett?"

"I've never told Emmett the full story, but he knows my dad hit me and that's why I moved in with Carlisle. Most of my teammates know I lived with Esme, but no one really knows why, and I want to keep it that way. I'll probably pull Emmett aside at some point and let him know my dad's in town. He'll figure out something's up eventually, anyway."

"He is quite perceptive, isn't he?"

Bella's entire body bounces when I bark out a laugh. "More like nosy—he's worse than a damn woman! No offense."

"None taken." She's quiet for a moment before she adds, "This is nice. I'm so comfortable, I think I could sleep like this all night."

"Don't let me stop you." I gently run my fingers through her hair as she settles further into my body. "Thank you for staying tonight. I don't know what I would've done if he'd shown up last week and I had to go through this by myself. I would've been crazy with anxiety and anger, and here you have me laughing."

She squeezes me again and says, "That's what girlfriends are for, you know?"

"I like it when you call yourself that."

Her head pops up and the smile on her face is brilliant. "Me, too! I kinda wanted to kick your dad in the shins—tonight was the first time I was able to introduce myself that way, and I hated it was to him!"

Laughter escapes me when I say, "Please, feel free to kick him in the shins whenever we talk to him."

Bella cocks her head. "You want me to go with you?"

Shit. I hadn't even realised I'd said that, but when I picture this conversation, I can't imagine her not being there for at least part of it.

"If you don't mind, I'd really appreciate it if you were there. It sounded like maybe he wants to apologise, but I don't know if I trust that just yet. If he has ulterior motives, I'm not sure how I'll handle that."

Bella's head finds its way back to my chest before saying, "Then I'm there. Just let me know when."

Yawning, I reach over to turn off the bedside lamp. "You have any plans this weekend? Might as well get it over with as soon as possible."

"Nothing I can't reschedule. Rose and I had talked about having a girls' night, but we can do that anytime."

I feel the haze of sleep starting to take over my brain. It's been a long week, and tonight has been so emotionally draining, but I need to make sure Bella's good. "You don't have to do that. I can plan around your girl time."

I feel a light tap on my side as Bella tries to chastise me. "Don't be silly. I'd cancel on you if one of them were going through something like this. Besides, I wouldn't mind spending another weekend with you. Maybe we can actually go out with everyone instead of staying holed up and only surfacing to eat."

Chuckling, I squeeze her tighter and roll us over into a position we actually _can_ sleep in all night. "Last weekend was pretty damn perfect if you ask me."

Lips press lightly against the bottom of my chin and Bella agrees as she tucks her head back into my chest, and entwined together we drift into sleep.

* * *

**A/N: Thank you Born, Chaya, Whiti, and Yummy. I love each of you and your support. **

**Rec: I've loved every word cosmogirl7481 has ever written, but I think **_**Footprints in the Snow **_**is my favourite full-length fic of hers. So, so good… I was captivated from beginning to end, and if you're looking for something quick and hot…**_**Edward in the Afternoon**_** is so nommy! Seriously… can't go wrong with anything she's written though!**

**Reviews are love!**


	15. Chapter 13 - Figure it Out

**A/N: Thank you to everyone who reads, pimps, reviews, and lurks. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight or Kapai…**

* * *

Waking up the next morning is not an easy task. Bella's warmth brings a sense of comfort that makes me want to hide in bed the rest of the day. Fortunately, she solves the problem when she plants a small kiss on my chest and gets out of bed to pad into the bathroom. After a few minutes, I hear the water running and force myself out of bed.

Bella's nearly done in the shower by the time I brush my teeth and step in with her. She's washing her special soap off her face, which means once she rinses the conditioner out of her hair, she'll be finished.

I know this because we've taken a lot of showers together over the past week.

My fingers skim up her sides as she tilts her head back. The water running down her smooth skin is warm so I know the shiver that runs through her body is from my hands wandering over her pebbled nipples. A small smile plays on her lips as she threads her fingers through her hair before finally lifting her head up and opening her eyes.

She's so damn beautiful I can't stop myself from grabbing her waist and pulling her naked body against mine. I lean down and kiss her properly, immediately invading her mouth with my tongue. Bella swivels us around so I'm standing under the double showerheads. She breaks our kiss when her fingers run through my hair, pushing my head back under the warm spray.

Without missing a beat, she drops to her knees, her hands travelling down my body, and runs her tongue up my cock in one long lick. Her hands grip the back of my thighs, and I throw my hands against the shower walls for balance as she tugs me forward and her mouth engulfs me.

Closing my eyes, I enjoy the feeling of her teeth grazing against my cock as she bobs up and down. Her tongue swirls around the tip each time she pulls back, and my hands grasp the back of her head. Bella's cheeks hollow out as she sinks down on my cock again and sucks.

Hard.

My eyes roll back, and I buck my hips, dipping deeper into her mouth and hitting the back of her throat. She only gags once before her grip on my thigh tightens again, pulling me all the way into her throat while her other hand moves to my balls, rolling them around.

My hands fist her hair as she pushes against the skin behind my balls just as she swallows around my dick, and I explode down her throat.

Bella's on her feet, pressing a kiss to the bottom of my chin before I even come back to my senses.

"Good morning," she grins up at me.

My arms find their way around her slim body. "'Good' might be an understatement after that. Any particular reason for that happy wakeup call, or was it just because you chocolate me so much?" I tease.

Her forehead falls to my chest and she laughs before answering, "Both. I've been told by one of my online girls that blowjobs make everything better, and I thought maybe you deserved a pick-me-up this morning."

"Which girl? I'm buying her a car."

Bella peers up at me. "You would, wouldn't you?" Shaking her head, she pulls away and opens the door. "Hurry up and get clean, Cullen. You have a big day ahead of you, and we have to leave early since you don't have any coffee in this place."

I grab her hand before she steps out. "Thank you for being here. You're exactly what I need."

"There's nowhere else I'd rather be. Let's get through today, and then we can worry about the other bullshit." She squeezes my hand and grabs a towel while I follow my girl's orders to hurry up and get clean.

oOoOoOo

I can tell Bella's worried about me as I walk her to her office an hour later because she doesn't make me drop her hand once we enter the building. I'm not sure why, but as soon as we stepped outside and entered the real world this morning, everything came crashing back down and it took all of my strength, and Bella's encouragement, not to turn and head straight back into my flat.

I couldn't stop my eyes from scanning the neighbourhood as if my dad would be sitting around stalking me in broad daylight. Thankfully, Bella chattered the entire way to work about nothing, just saying whatever it took to distract me, and by the time we got to work, I was feeling more settled again.

When we walk into Bella's office, Emmett is waiting in Bella's chair with his feet propped up on her desk. His hands are folded behind his head, a picture of perfect ease, and his smile is wide.

"Kia ora, bros!"

I laugh but Bella's face scrunches up in confusion. "Kia what?"

"Kia ora… it's a Maori word. It means 'hi' or 'bye' or even 'thanks' sometimes," Emmett answers.

"Right, of course it has three meanings. Why wouldn't it?"

"Don't be a Debbie Downer, Bellaboo. Rosie and I hung out with Hemi last night, and I decided we need to start teaching you some new words!"

Bella pumps the air and smiles as she says, "Can't wait!"

"Watch that sass, Coachette, or I might keep these gifts I brought you for myself!" Emmett gestures to the bag sitting on Bella's desk. Her eyes light up, and she drops my hand to reach for the bag.

Well, okay then… I guess she likes gifts.

"What is it?" Bella asks, pulling the tissue paper out. "I can't believe you wrapped this!"

"Rose did that shit, but I picked the gifts out. Eddieboy can vouch for my fuck-awesome gift-giving skills."

My jaw tenses when he calls me Eddieboy. I've never liked it when he calls me any form of Eddie, but today it's like a knife twisting in my gut.

Bella glances at me and runs a finger down my arm to let me know she's with me before returning to her gift. Her face morphs into a wry grin and she pulls out a Spinbrush Pro.

"Thanks, Emmett," she mocks. "Just what I _always_ wanted!"

Laughing, I take the toothbrush from her. "Hey, you're not an official New Zealander until Emmett McCarty has given you a Spinbrush Pro. This is like a rite of passage—congrats on your newfound status, baby."

Emmett holds his arms out wide, "See! I _told_ Rosie you'd love it!"

"I'm honoured. I'm not sure if whatever else is in here can top a toothbrush," Bella jokes.

"Rosie wanted to get you something to hang on your wall, but I knew you'd appreciate this more."

Bella's hand emerges from the bag holding a small, colourful book. She looks at the cover and starts to smile as she reads aloud, "_Kapai Tackles Rugby_ by Uncle Anzac, huh?"

I laugh as Bella holds up the children's book for me to see. "Nice, Em."

"It has definitions in the back to help you learn how to play the game. I thought you could use the help."

Bella's hardly paying him any attention as she's already flipping through the pages, reading the story to herself. I'm starting to get antsy and ready to hit something so I motion for Emmett to get his arse up.

Before he moves though, Bella pipes up. "Oh, no wonder I barely understand the game. Listen to this:

The backs keep going forwards,  
with the forwards on attack.  
To make the ball go forward, though,  
you've got to pass it back.

You scrum the ball along the ground  
Or kick it way up high.  
And then if you succeed at this  
It's only called a 'try.'

'I understand,' said Kapai.  
'You have made it crystal clear.'"

Bella laughs as she finishes reading the page. "Ha! Yeah right, buddy!"

I can't help but laugh at her excitement, but when she notices Emmett and I are ready to go, she sets her book down and gives Emmett a hug. "Seriously, dude. Thanks for this. I love it and can't wait to finish it."

"No problem, Shortstack," Emmett replies, ruffling her hair like a kid. "You ready, Eddie?"

"_Fuck_, Em," I bite out. "How many times do I have to tell you not to call me that?"

Before I've even finished my sentence, Bella's hand is in mine and pulling it behind her back as she melts into my side. Emmett's face registers shock at my outburst, and he's holding two hands up in defence. "What the fuck was that, mate? You okay?"

I take a deep breath and let out a long, slow sigh, "Yeah, man. I'm sorry. Can you gizza minute? I'll catch up in the hall if you don't mind waiting."

"Sure, bro." He gives me a wary look, and before walking out tells Bella he'll see her in today's class.

The door isn't even closed before Bella's arms are around me, and I cling to her as I take another deep breath.

"You gonna be okay today?" she asks.

"Yes. It's just that _fucking_ name—I hate we share it. I'll apologise again and let him know what's going on."

Bella pulls back and kisses me, easing my frazzled nerves. If I could just have her touching me all day, I'd be fine. "Go. Hit some bags. Talk to Emmett. Focus on the game."

"Yes, ma'am."

"That's what I like to hear," she grins. "Call me if you need me. I just have the two classes today, and you're in one of them so I can stop by whenever."

I kiss her one last time and head toward the door. "Thanks, baby."

My hand is on the door, turning the knob when Bella says, "Hey, Edward… catch!"

Instinctively, my hand pops up to grab the object flying through the air. I open my palm and see a miniature bar of chocolate sitting in my palm. I look back at Bella, and she's offering me a coy smile.

Pocketing the chocolate, I wink and with a huge smile on my face say, "You, too, Bella."

oOoOoOo

"What gives, bro?" Emmett asks, as soon as I walk into the hallway.

"Sorry, man." I rub my hand across the back of my neck as I fall into step beside him. "I'm hitting the bags this morning…cleared it with Coach last night. Wanna come with and I'll fill you in?"

"Sure. You all right?"

"I don't know." Deep breath. "My dad showed up last night—out of the blue—at my flat. He wants to talk to me."

"Seriously? That's messed up. You haven't seen him since your mum died, right?"

"Right. I think you know by now, but he basically blamed me for Mum's death and took a cheap shot at my face. That's why I moved in with Carlisle."

Emmett's face registers surprise. "I didn't realise he blamed you for your mum's death. I thought you just had a falling out. That's some kind of shit, mate."

A short laugh escapes me at Emmett's simple observation. "Pretty much."

"So, what'd he want?"

"I don't know, yet. I didn't give him a chance to really say much. Thankfully, Bella was there and smart enough to get his number. I guess I'll call him when I'm ready."

"So, Bella met your old man, aye," Emmett observes. "How'd that go?"

"She was awesome. She wasn't rude to him, but she still managed to put him in his place. She's agreed to come with me if I decide to talk to him, which I most likely will."

"Of course she agreed; the girl is fucking crazy about you."

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean she wants to walk into my fucked up past a week into our relationship. It's not exactly what she signed up for, you know?"

We reach the bag room and dump our shit in the corner before making our way over to tape our hands. "Don't be an idiot, man. Bellaboo's not like that; she wants to be there for you."

"I know, and she pretty much told me that last night." I sigh, pulling the last of the tape tight around my hand. "I don't know how I got so lucky with her. She popped into my life at exactly the right time. Any earlier and I wouldn't have been ready for her, and if she hadn't been there last night, I probably would've drunk myself into a stupor."

"Some things are just meant to be," Emmett muses as we start toward the bags.

Still, something is niggling at the back of my mind. I know Bella doesn't mind wading through the mud with me, but she shouldn't have to—I want to be someone she can lean on, not someone she has to hold up. When I tell Emmett as much, he somehow manages to ease my concerns in a way only he can.

"Listen, Edward, I don't know every detail of either of your pasts, but I know both of you have some fucked up shit in your closets. The fact that you're each less than perfect individually makes you even more perfect together."

I let Emmett's words sink in and realise how true they are.

But still… that shit was a little froufrou.

"Thanks, Emmett. That was really … sweet. You forget to take your testosterone pills this morning?"

Emmett's booming laugh echoes off the walls, and he grabs the bag to hold it steady. "That's the last time I help you out, mate. Now, shut the fuck up and start hitting—we have a game to win tonight."

oOoOoOo

The day passes quickly and before I know it, I'm running down the field, dodging the defending team and getting ready to chuck it to Riley when I'm grabbed by my hair and my head twists around as I fall to the ground.

The whistle blows immediately, and we're awarded a penalty. After a quick huddle, we decide to run a variation of the pivot. We set up for our move as play resumes. Hemi throws the ball to me before following right behind his pass. I turn to hide the ball as Hemi runs by me, acting as a dummy. Benjamin runs my way in an attempt to draw enough attention from the opposing team as I lob a long pass across the field to Riley, who drops back on his left foot and dropkicks the ball between the posts. I pump my fist once as I jog back to prepare for the kick off.

OoOoO

We're tied at halftime and I listen closely as Coach goes over our necessary adjustments to make sure we edge out the Hurricanes and bring home a win. Since we're on the road for the next couple of games, it'd be nice to start off 2-and-0. Before heading back to the field, I stop at my cubby to grab my towel and am surprised when something falls to the floor. I bend over to pick it up and find it's another small piece of chocolate. A dopey smile appears on my face as I picture Bella sneaking into the changing room to let me know she's rooting me on—hopefully in more ways than one tonight.

OoOoO

We're in the seventy-eighth minute, and Emmett is standing on the side line ready to throw the ball into a lineout. It's a long throw, and I watch it sail through the air and prepare to run as I see Ben jump in the air with Laurent poised to lift him just high enough to catch the ball.

Before Ben lands, he passes the ball off to Riley who takes off down the field. Two defenders close in on him and just before he's hit, the ball sails out of his hands and into mine. I pick up speed and side-step around the opposing team to reach the try line and plant the ball.

Thanks to a dropkick in the sixty-ninth minute, we were tied at twenty-four all, meaning I've all but secured the game. Several teammates surround me to celebrate, and the smile that appeared on my face as I scored the try doesn't go away until the game is officially over. I speak with a couple of reporters before heading to the changing room, eager to see my girl.

Emmett, Riley, and I are normally the last ones out of the changing room, and tonight is no exception. Most of the team has already left for the Kingslander, and Emmett is waiting on me when Riley starts for the door. "You guys coming tonight?" he asks.

"I'll be there," Emmett says. "Rosie sent me a text saying she's waiting on us. Tell her to order me some food when you get there."

Riley laughs and nods his head in acknowledgement. "What about you, Cullen?"

"I don't know, yet. Bella and I didn't really have time to talk about it last night."

Riley's eyes light up. "Nice, bro."

I shake my head at his one-track mind, then realise I would've made the same assumption. "I wish. Not like that, unfortunately. We had some family shit pop up, and I forgot to mention it."

"Ahh…well, I hope all's well. I'll see you there if you guys show up. Later," he says as he walks out.

Before the door closes, I hear him say, "Hey, Bella! Your man's almost ready in there. It's just…"

The door clicks shut, and I glance up at Emmett. "Well, I guess I could always walk with Riley. If you guys decide not to come out tonight, give me a call tomorrow—we'll figure out something to do this weekend. Have some fun, aye?"

"Sounds good." I clap his hand in mine, and in an uncharacteristic move for me, pull him in for a one-armed hug. "Thanks, man."

"Nothing doing," he says, giving me one pat on the back. "You know that."

The door opens slowly, and Bella's head peeks in as we're pulling apart. She has her hand covering her eyes, but her fingers are spread. "Knock, knock," she says. "Riley gave me permission to enter. You guys decent?"

"Coachette! When am I ever decent? Come on in and show your superstar some love. He sealed the deal for us tonight!"

Bella enters the changing room, proudly wearing her number ten Cullen jersey with her book bag slung over one shoulder. Emmett approaches her as he walks out, and they high five each other and then swing their arms down for a low five as they pass. "Good job tonight, Emmett. Best hooker in New Zealand."

Emmett laughs as he walks out before throwing over his shoulder, "That's why I love you, Bellaboo! You two behave in there!"

"Fat chance!" I yell back, holding out my arm to allow Bella to slip into my side as she sits next to me on the bench. Her lips are on mine instantly as her arm wraps around my neck.

"God you were so good tonight, Edward," she says between kisses. "I'm so proud of you."

I pull Bella closer, pressing her body to mine as I return her kisses. "Thank you for my chocolate. Best surprise ever." My hand trails up her side, and the shoes I was about to put on are forgotten.

I'm surprised when Bella throws her leg over mine and straddles me on the bench before pulling her jersey over her head and attacking my mouth again with hers.

My hands instinctively move to cup her pert titties, and I gently squeeze before muttering against her lips, "What're you doing, baby? Someone could come in."

Bella swivels her hips against mine and I let out a deep groan. Her fingers are clawing at the material on my back as she pulls my shirt over my head. "Uh uh… the place is practically deserted." Her lips land on my neck, and she bites the skin there as she makes another pass against my hard cock. "Good thing you take longer to get ready than most women."

Bella quickly sheds her bra before her fingers go to work on my fly, and I chuckle at her observation. Unable to resist, my hands slide inside her shorts, cupping her arse and squeezing. "No panties, huh?"

"What can I say? I was hoping to get lucky with the hottest guy on the team tonight."

She lifts her arse and wiggles my shorts down just enough to expose my aching dick. Her hand wraps around me, and she starts teasing me—a swipe of her thumb over the tip, a couple of long, slow pumps, and a gentle squeeze of my balls—just enough to drive me insane with lust and want.

"Mmmff…This isn't…_fuck_…very professional…Coach Bella…_unnngg_," I moan into her shoulder, my hands still kneading her arse cheeks.

Her eyes flick up from where they were trained on my cock and briefly meet my eyes. They hold the same glint as they did the first night we had sex in her office.

This can only mean good things for me.

"Lucky we're off the clock then, huh?" she says and then slips down to the floor on her knees in front of me and takes my cock in her mouth.

I close my eyes and enjoy her warm mouth for just a moment before pulling her up and slipping her shorts off as she stands. Her pussy is right in front of my face since I'm still sitting on the bench, and I trail a finger up her inner thigh and dip it between her wet folds, teasing her for just a minute before slowly bringing my finger to my lips and sucking her juices off. "Nu uh. Not this time, baby. Go put your hands against that wall and spread your legs for me." Pre-cum leaks out of my cock as Bella's eyes darken. She pulls her bottom lip between her teeth and a small whimper escapes her throat.

I'd intended to use the small reprieve to settle my cock so I didn't blow my load in two minutes, but when Bella turns to look at me over her shoulder and sticks her arse out, I'm even closer to coming.

My girl is fucking sinful.

Slowly, I make my way over to her allowing the anticipation to build. Her body is perfect—slim and smooth—with curves just begging for my touch. I settle my hands on her hips and squeeze before gently running them up her sides. Once I reach her shoulders, I bring my hands together and slide them back down her spine. Her body tenses, causing her arse to stick out even more and brush against my dick.

I cup my balls with one hand and squeeze before slowly pumping myself as my other hand wraps around her stomach and squeezes her tit. I bend down a little so my lips can nip at where my hands had made her shudder and slowly lick and nibble my way up to her neck.

Bella is a whimpering, writhing mess by the time I suck her earlobe between my teeth and breathe into her ear, and my cock is no longer about to blow after only feeling my hand for the past few minutes.

"Ready, Coach?" I whisper into her ear.

"God, yes. Please don't make me wait any longer."

Without further hesitation, I line myself up and slowly slide into her. My eyes close and my head drops to her shoulder, and I settle inside for a moment, allowing both of us to adjust. I start off slowly, loving how she squeezes me with each thrust up.

I know I'm hitting her just right when her head falls against the tiled wall, and she pulls her hand off to touch herself. I stop her before she gets to her destination and place her hand back on the wall. "Nu uh, baby. Stay just like this."

"Oh, god. Fuck!" Bella moans as my hand travels back down her body. My lips continue their teasing over the sensitive spots on her back and neck, and my hands pinch and twist her nipples. I tease her stomach with feather light touches but stay away from where she wants me most.

I want her absolutely crazy before I let her come.

"Edward, please!" she begs.

"Please what, baby? Tell me what you want."

"Touch me, please," she moans.

My thrusts become a little faster and harder as I whisper in her ear, "Not yet. Your pussy feels too fucking good wrapped around me like this."

She drops her elbows to the wall and sticks her arse out more, pulling me even deeper inside her, and I groan when she squeezes me hard. My hands travel down her back and each grabs a handful of arse cheek, squeezing and pulling them apart so I can watch myself slide in and out of her tight pussy. My cock is glistening with her juices, and the sight kicks me into overdrive.

Bella's going to get her wish after all, it seems.

Her head is down and her fists are clenched against the wall, and I can tell she just needs a little extra push before she comes all over my dick.

"Fucking hell, Bella. You're too fucking hot for your own damn good." I slip my hand around her again and pull her up, my body slick against hers, before finally reaching down and giving her what she wants.

As soon as my fingers touch her clit, she lets out a loud, "Aaahhh…"

"That's it, baby. You fucking love it when I touch you, don't you?" Bella's already starting to flutter around me, and the beginnings of my orgasm are starting to tingle deep in my belly. "Is there anything you like more than my fingers playing with your pretty clit while my cock pounds into you from behind?"

Bella turns her face to the side and clamps her teeth down on her arm to keep from screaming out too loudly. My fingers are sliding all around her swollen clit, and my thrusts are becoming erratic as my thighs start quivering with my oncoming orgasm. "Answer me, baby. Tell me what's better than this."

"Fuuck!" she moans out. "Nothing. Nothing is better."

"Fucking right," I answer, and then pinch her clit hard to send her over the edge as I ride out my own orgasm. I release into her, and when I finally stop, my forehead is laying against her sweaty back.

We stay like that until Bella's giggles cause my spent dick to slip out of her. "Care to share why you're laughing after that? You're kinda killing my ego here."

"Yeah, right. Like you should feel like anything less than godlike after that." Her head falls back against my shoulder, and I slip my arms around her waist as we continue to catch our breath. "I just can't believe we've had sex at work… _twice_. You're turning me into a brazen hussy!"

I can't help but laugh with her as I nuzzle into her neck. "I'll take partial credit for what we did on your desk, but this was all you!"

A deep blush takes over Bella's face. "I couldn't help it. Maybe I shouldn't go to any more of your games. You were just so…_UNF_ out there. I've been wet since about the tenth minute. Do you have any idea how uncomfortable that is?"

I spin her around and kiss her properly. "Probably as uncomfortable as a hard dick during an hour-long Pilates session five times a week."

"Touché" she grins. I'm getting ready to kiss her again when we hear people talking just outside of the door and remember where we are and how we're dressed, or _not_ dressed rather. Bella's eyes widen in fear, but a small smile plays on her lips as we rush to grab our clothes.

"There's a couple of single showers over there if you want to clean up…just make it quick," I tell her, wiping off with my towel and pulling my clothes back on.

Fortunately, no one actually comes into the changing room, and Bella and I are walking out the door in less than five minutes, hand in hand.

"Well, that was fun," I grin down at her.

She doesn't look at me as she shrugs her shoulders and says, "Meh."

I stop in my tracks, forcing her to stop as well since I still have her hand. Before I can say anything though, she dissolves into a fit of giggles and buries her head in my shoulder. Her other hand crosses her body and hooks around my elbow, pulling me forward. "I think I saw God, okay? Is that better? Like you really need me to stroke your ego any more!"

"I'll give you something to stroke," I mumble.

"No doubt about that," she quips right back. "Did you want to go to The Kingslander tonight?"

"I kinda just want to go home and crash, but I feel bad bailing on everyone."

"Well, if it helps, the girls and I made tentative plans to get together tomorrow night if all you guys are game."

"Carlisle and Esme, too?"

"Yeah," she says. "Have you told him yet?"

"No, I didn't really have time today. Telling Emmett was one thing…he listens, tells me it's fucked up, and that's it. I know Carlisle and I will have a long talk about it, but I just didn't think I could handle that today."

She squeezes my arm before letting go so I can open the door to walk out into the warm night air. "I'm sure he'll understand you waiting. He'll probably be much more helpful than me, too, since he was there for everything."

"I don't know, Bella. You were perfect for me last night. I can't thank you enough." Emmett's words from earlier are rolling around in my head as we reach my car. I pull up short before opening her door and trap her against it, dropping our bags to the ground. "Can I ask you something?"

She places her hands on my chest and smiles up at me. "Sure."

"I kind of feel like an asshole for not asking you this sooner, but are _you_ okay?"

Her face scrunches up. "Of course I'm okay—aside from wishing you didn't have to go through this mess right now. Why?"

I trail a finger down her face, pushing a stray hair back. "I just…I didn't think about how this might affect you…given what happened with your mum. I've been a bit of a selfish prick, trying to figure out if I want to talk to my dad who's just reappeared in my life, and here you have even fewer answers than I do and a possibility of never having any."

I can't read her expression, but she's silent for a while as she gathers her thoughts.

"I hadn't even thought of it like that. It's a little different for me, though. I barely have any memories of her, and the ones I do have are so vague, they don't even feel real. It's almost as if I never really had a mom. _If_ she ever sought me out, I think I'd listen to what she had to say, but there'd be almost no chance at a relationship between us. It's been too long, and I don't even have a single good memory of her." Her eyes meet mine as she finishes. "Please don't misunderstand what I'm about to say, because I support your decision no matter what it is. What your dad did was inexcusable—I can't fathom treating another person like that, much less my own child—but if I had some good memories to hold onto and cherish from my mom, I think I'd be more willing to try to make more with her."

Nodding, I say, "You're right. I'm definitely going to hear what he has to say, I just don't know what I'll do with it once I hear it."

Arms wrap around my waist and Bella settles her cheek against my chest. "You'll figure it out, and I'll be here to help the whole way," she whispers.

I rest my chin on her head, and we stay like that while her words sink in before I kiss the top of her head and help her into my car to head back home.

* * *

**A/N: *whew* I'm ready for bed after that!**

**If you're interested in hearing Kapai Tackles Rugby in its entirety by an official Kiwi, use the link below and thank Chaya for finding it! (the first * should be a period and the *slash* should be /)**

**audioboo*fm *slash* boos *slash* 936664-kapai-tackles-rugby-pt-1-by-uncle-anzac-nzkidsbooks#t=1m12s**

**Thanks to my girls… amber, whiti, jen, and born make everything sound so much better and chaya tells me to add ninety-six commas and that I've modified the wrong phrase! And for some reason they still love me. I sure is, a lucky, girl. **

**Rec: I just started **_**Glycerine**_** this week by Livie79. You'll love it. I adore this Bella … she goes head to head with Edward and doesn't back down. He's determined to have everything on his terms, but she sure does seem to be getting her way a lot, too. Hop on the ride now … she's only nine chapters in!**

**Reviews are love!**


	16. Chapter 14 - Courage

**A/N: Come join us in Eden Park on Facebook! I post teasers and there's never a shortage of pretty rugby players! I'd love to say hi and thanks to all who read, review, pimp, and lurk.**

* * *

The next morning, my cell phone wakes me up with its incessant ringing. I try to ignore it, but apparently whoever is calling is on a mission to find me. I crack an eye open and see Bella's face still buried in the pillow as she searches the table beside her to stop the noise.

Her hand finally hits its target, and she grabs my phone and tosses it in my general direction without looking up. I wouldn't be surprised if she's already out again. It didn't take me long to figure out she likes to sleep in whenever possible.

I check the caller ID, groaning when I see Carlisle's name. It's not that I don't want to talk to him; I had every intention of calling him this morning, but his persistence can only mean one thing—he's talked to Dad.

I rub my hand over my face before swiping my thumb across the screen to answer the call.

"Hey, C."

"_Hey. Sorry for waking you."_

Chuckling, I reply, "No you're not. That's why you called eighteen times."

"_Yeah, well, I wanted to talk to you about something. Can you guys come over when you get up? Esme'll fix breakfast for everyone."_

"Uh…sure. We can do that. Is this about Dad?"

"_Yeah, did he get in touch with you, too?"_

"Stopped by my flat Thursday night."

Bella's head pops up from the pillow as she turns to face me and throws her leg over mine.

"_Stopped by? Did he call first?"_

"Ha! Definitely not. I wouldn't have invited him over if he had. Did he call you?"

"_Yeah, yesterday. We didn't talk long. He said he wanted me to meet him so we could talk and didn't let me get a word in edgewise. He told me to think about it before I made a decision, and he'd talk to me in a few days."_

"He must've learnt his lesson after coming here. He didn't exactly get a warm reception."

Carlisle huffs. _"I guess not. So, are you guys up for coming over?"_

I peek down at Bella who's studying my face. "Want to go to Carlisle's for breakkie?"

She hugs her pillow tighter and nods her head, so I let Carlisle know we'll be over within the hour before hanging up.

"He contacted your brother, too?" Bella asks, moving from her pillow to my chest.

"Yeah, but he barely gave Carlisle a chance to say anything, just told him he wanted to talk."

"It's interesting he doesn't want to talk to you two together."

Tightening my hold on her I ask, "What do you mean?"

"If he truly wants to make amends, I'd think he'd have a better chance if he talked to both of you together. Wouldn't he try to get you alone if he's just after your money? What went down between him and Carlisle, anyway?"

"They spoke a few times after I moved in with Carlisle, but he never really told me what was said. I could tell it wasn't good, so I never pressed the issue. As far as I remember, Carlisle finally told him to stay away until he got some help and that was that."

"Ugh…that's rough."

"Yep, pretty much." We fall silent for a few minutes, lost in our own thoughts before I hear her stomach rumble. "You ready to head over there and eat?"

"Apparently! I don't really have anything to wear, though. Can we stop by my apartment on the way?"

"I have a better idea. We stay in bed an extra ten minutes, and you can wear those hot little yoga pants you left over here the other day—I threw them in with my wash yesterday—and one of my old T-shirts, and we can hike Mt. Eden after breakkie."

Her eyes light up and she plants a kiss on my chest before hopping out of bed, "Sounds almost perfect. I'm starving … let's go now!"

I get out of bed and open the bottom drawer of my dresser where I keep all of my shirts from my pre-All Black days. I bulked up significantly once I made the national team, so at this point, I only keep these around for the good memories. I grab the first shirt I see, tossing it on the bed for Bella. I laugh as I see the words splayed across the front: 'Have you got any kiwi in you? Would you like some?'.

I'm pulling on my shorts when Bella walks out of the bathroom with her hair up in a messy ponytail and her face freshly scrubbed. She looks fucking gorgeous in her sexy as hell matching pink bra and panties.

She picks up the shirt and reads it before snorting out a laugh and quirking her eyebrow at me. "Really?"

My smile widens. "What? You don't like it? I picked up quite a few women wearing that shirt before I got all famous and shit!"

Her eyes roll back in her head. "Baby, even as sexy as you are, I can't imagine this would actually work on anyone."

Challenge accepted!

I grab the shirt from her and pull it over my head, but it's so tight she has to help me pull it down. I hold my arms out wide and say, "So, what're my chances of getting you back into bed right now?"

She stands back, eyeing me appreciatively, and I can practically see the dirty thoughts running through her head. "Oh, you'd have me in a heartbeat, but it has more to do with the fact that it's practically a second skin than that oh-so-catchy phrase with the it's-so-ugly-it's-cute bird on it!"

"Hey!" I mock-whisper. "Don't knock the kiwi—that's sacrilege around here!"

Pulling her back to me, I kiss her sassy mouth. She looks up at me with a coy smile on her face as her fingers scratch through the hair at the nape of my neck. "Okay, lay it on me. How many women threw themselves at you once they saw this shirt on you?"

I shake my head solemnly. "Couldn't tell you. Every woman I met before you is zapped from my brain—if there even were any."

"Ha. Good answer, but seriously … and I have to know how you got this shirt."

"Now _that_ is a funny story, and I'll definitely fill you in later, but I'm telling you the truth about the women. They didn't hold much appeal for me before I met you, Bella. Everyone before you only saw my fame and money." I look away, slightly ashamed of what I'm about to say next, but so fucking grateful I came to my senses before she showed up. "To be honest, I was okay with that for a while—no commitments, no responsibilities—but I'd already started backing off that scene. For a while, I thought I'd wind up alone or maybe settle for a marriage of convenience or some shit like that. Then you turned my life upside down with your stubborn insistence that you didn't need any help carrying your bags inside."

Bella laughs into my chest. "Oh gosh. I was so nervous that morning, and then you two pull up looking all hot and sounding even hotter. I just wanted to get inside before I made a fool of myself."

"You thought Emmett was hot, too, aye?"

She peers up at me. "Yeah, but _you_ … god, I'm no better than those girls. I thought you were the sexiest person I'd ever seen. When you started talking … I'm almost embarrassed to tell you all of the naughty thoughts that ran through my head. I wanted you so much, and I didn't know you from Adam."

"Trust me, you are _way_ better than those girls, which I would still think, even if you _hadn't_ turned me down the first time," I remind her.

"Ugh, don't remind me—enough rehashing the past and my stupidity. You gonna take that off so we can go eat, or what?"

"Bossy little thing, aren't you?" I tease as I try to pull the shirt over my head. Bella's not doing a very good job of holding in her laughter as she watches me struggle until finally I huff, "You gonna help me or just stand there and laugh at me all day?"

"If I weren't so hungry, I think I'd let you struggle. You're pretty cute like that, you know? Good thing for you I need food—stat."

I smirk down at her as she grabs the hem of my too-tight shirt and starts to slide it over my head. "I'm happy to provide you with all the protein you need, baby."

Laughter erupts from Bella and doesn't die out when she chastises me. "That is so gross. You're awfully full of yourself this morning, aren't you?"

The shirt pops off my head, and I grab her around the waist and pull her close to me. "Can't help it. You make me happy."

Her smile softens and the air around us is once again full of unspoken words, but Bella simply kisses my chin and says, "I'm glad. You make me happy, too. Now let's go eat. Esme has a recipe for French toast casserole; maybe I can talk her into making it."

She wiggles out of my arms and grabs my Auckland Grammar rugby shirt from my drawer to slip over her head. Sighing, I grab one of my All Black T-shirts and follow her out the door, already wanting this talk with my brother to be over.

oOoOoOo

"So you don't think he wants money then?" I ask Carlisle.

"I guess he could since I haven't spoken to him in nearly as long as you, but he and Mum were never exactly hurting for money, and once I was old enough, I was lectured constantly on investing and spending wisely. Where do you think I learned everything I taught you?"

"Oh yeah? I didn't realise that was from them." I smile when I hear Bella and Esme laugh at something in the kitchen, but my next thought kills it just as quickly. "I just don't know if I could handle it if he acts like he wants to make amends and then two months later hits one of us up for money or a place to stay or fuck…anything."

Carlisle scoffs into his coffee. "I seriously hope he's not _that_ stupid."

My fingers pick at a stray string on my shorts, and my voice is barely a whisper when I ask, "You think he's sick?"

Carlisle peers at me, his head down and his eyes peeking over his glasses. The uncertainty in my voice and the way he's studying my face brings me back about twelve years when I was still struggling with my father's misplaced blame.

It's not a good feeling, and I itch for Bella to be by my side.

"Possibly … probably," Carlisle sighs.

I nod my head infinitesimally at his confirmation of what I feared was true, and unjustified anger courses through me. Has guilt brought my father back into my life? Does he just want a clean slate before he passes on so he can at least dust off his hands and say, "Well, at least I tried!" all the while leaving _me_ the bad guy if I can't accept what he did to me? How fucking selfish is that?

My jaw tightens and I clench my eyes shut while taking a deep breath, willing the angry tears away. He doesn't deserve them.

"The only other possibility is he truly does just want a chance to explain and maybe apologise," Carlisle murmurs, "though I have no idea why he waited so long if that's the case."

"Exactly!" My fist hits the arm of the chair. "There's got to be more to it than that."

We sit in silence for a few minutes while ideas run through my head so fast I barely have time to consider one before a new one takes its place. Finally, I work up the courage to ask my brother something I never thought I would.

"What uh … what did he say to you after I moved in with you?"

Carlisle's face hardens as he contemplates his answer.

"We talked about you mostly. The first time, I was almost certain you were blowing things out of proportion. No offence against you or anything, but you were an emotional teenager who'd just gone through a major tragedy and were suffering from a tonne of guilt."

I nod for him to continue.

"When he confirmed what you'd said—he was so emotionless—I figured he'd come around in a few days, and we'd get him professional help. When I called him again, it didn't go any better, though. If anything, he was even angrier. I told him to leave you alone until he came to his senses and was ready to make it up to you, that you didn't need his bullshit right now and to stay away."

Carlisle looks like he might be sick, and it makes me wonder how long he's been suffering from this guilt. I thought he knew how grateful I was that he stepped up and handled Dad when I couldn't.

"Thank you. I know I've told you before, but I'd be a complete mess if it weren't for you and Esme. Someone needed to tell him that, and I'm glad you loved me enough to do it."

Relief washes over his face, and he nods his head and continues, "I only spoke with him once more after that when I picked up the rest of your stuff from the house. He was so drunk, I'm not sure he would've even remembered the next day that I was there. It was all the confirmation I needed that we were doing the right thing."

Throwing my head back against the chair, I sigh loudly. "I just can't believe he's back after fifteen years. What the fuck is that?" I ask for the umpteenth time.

"I don't get it either. I was sure after a few months of suffering through whatever depression he had, he'd snap out of it. He was such a good father to me growing up and even to you until Mum passed."

I nod again. "Yeah, remember the time Mum was out of town for work, so Dad had us by himself for a night? He gave us so much candy, I puked it all up and got to miss school the next day—I couldn't wait 'til Mum went out of town again."

"I was so mad about that because I still had to go since I didn't actually throw up! She never left us alone with him after that, though. Grandma always conveniently dropped in with dinner," Carlisle laughs.

"Oh, hell yes," I moan. "She made the best lasagne. I'd kill for some of that again."

"Esme has the recipe, I think. She got a lot of them from Grandma before she died."

"Yeah? I bet Bella could make it—everything she fixes is fucking delicious."

Movement catches my eye and when I glance over, I see Bella and Esme joining us from the kitchen.

"You bet Bella could make what? And thank you," she says, plopping down in my lap while Esme settles next to Carlisle on the couch.

"My grandma's lasagne. It's fan-fucking-tastic. Think you could make it if you had the recipe?" I ask.

Bella's nose scrunches up. "I'm not sure. I've never made a lasagne before, but I can try at least, especially if I had some help in the kitchen," she says, winking at me.

"Oh, I'm always happy to help you in the kitchen," I reply, squeezing her thigh.

Esme ignores our flirting and waves her hand in the air. "There's nothing to it: pasta, sauce, cheese, pasta, sauce, cheese, pasta, sauce, cheese. I can make it next time you guys come over if you want. Maybe next weekend?"

Bella glances at me and I grimace. "I don't know if that'll work. Our game is out of town Saturday, and I was thinking of seeing if Dad could meet on Sunday. I want to get it over with, but I'm not ready for that yet this weekend, and I'd rather do it right after a match, so I can focus on training the rest of the week."

"Well, whenever then. No rush," Esme offers before turning to Carlisle. "Have you decided what you're going to do?"

"I'll see what he has to say for himself. Don't you want to know?"

Esme glances at me and murmurs, "Yes, though I'm not sure I'll be able to control my temper around him."

Not for the first time, I see how much Esme cares for me and how difficult this is for her, too. She could've easily asked Carlisle not to take in his troubled teenaged brother the first year they were married. Instead, she went out of her way to not only take care of my basic needs but to make sure I was happy and had a promising future.

Fuck. I have her to thank for my first true love, my career. Rugby.

The oven timer dings and Bella pushes herself off my lap. "I'll get it!" she says, hurrying into the kitchen.

I stand right after her and head straight for Esme, engulfing her in an Emmett-style hug.

"Thank you, for everything. Back then especially, but even now, too. I owe you guys everything."

When I finally pull away, she has tears in her eyes as she pats my back. "You owe us nothing, Edward. We love you and are just glad to see you finally happy."

I glance toward the kitchen, smiling. They'll never convince me I don't owe them my fucking life, but I couldn't agree more with the last part.

oOoOoOo

"Strike two!" Emmett yells, doing his ridiculous victory dance all the way back to the scoring table.

"That would probably be more impressive if we weren't on our third game, McCarty!" Coach jokes.

It's true. Emmett is a horrible bowler. He threw so many gutter balls during the first game, we considered putting the guard rails up for him. As many times as we've been here with some of the guys from the team, I'd think he could at least break a hundred, but he hasn't yet. It's really kind of amazing.

"This is actually a good night for him, Coach. I've seen him not even break fifty," I supply.

Bella, who is conspiring with Rose about something at the scoring table, pops her head up in shock and hits Emmett's shoulder with the back of her hand. "You've got to be kidding me! How can you be so good at sport but so incredibly bad at bowling?"

As it turns out, Bella is a fuck-awesome bowler. Apparently, she took a bowling class in college and hasn't wasted any time beating the shit out of everyone here. I thought Carlisle might have a shot at finishing close to her in the second game, but my girl closed out with four strikes in a row and a final score of two-twenty-six.

"Hey, now—watch it! Not all of us got to spend sixteen weeks learning how to bowl while calling it education, Strike Queen!"

"You're just jealous, Emmett!" Alice says, hip-checking Rose as she finishes after leaving only one pin standing. Carlisle's up next, so Esme hops up from his lap and joins the girls.

Bella's smile is huge as she jokes with our friends, and I can't help but think how well this group meshes and wonder why we've never hung out before tonight. There were plenty of times most of us were out after a game, but that always felt like going out for a beer with your co-workers. Bella shows up though and somehow fills a hole we never knew was there, and without even realising she's done so, has made my life richer and more meaningful.

It's no wonder I'm falling in … chocolate … with her.

Carlisle takes his seat again, and I follow behind him to bowl the last frame of the night. While it may have been exactly what I needed to get out of my head and just have fun for a few hours, I'm definitely ready to get Bella home.

I pick up a spare, putting me in fourth place for this round and third for the entire night. Not too shabby. Joining the girls, I tug Bella into my arms and she melts into me instantly.

"You ready to go soon?"

"Yep," she grins up at me. "I can't wait to have you all to myself again. Somehow you even manage to make bowling sexy."

"I think I could say the same about you. As long as you're bowling and not scarfing down nachos that is," I tease.

"Oh my gosh, shut up! They were so good! I warned you before we got here how much I love bowling food. You knew what you were getting into. You have to admit, it's hard to resist the nachos and beer combination."

I can't help but laugh at my slightly tipsy girlfriend as we take off our shoes and say goodbye to everyone in the parking lot. It'll be a few weeks before we can all get together again since the Blues have away games for the next two weekends. Our bye week is after that, and I still want to take Bella away that weekend and show her more of New Zealand.

We're silent most of the way back to her flat, only breaking our silence when we laugh over something that happened earlier in the night. I can tell we're both tired as we get ready for bed, so I'm surprised when Bella immediately rolls on top of me beneath the covers and starts kissing me.

"I'm so glad you had fun tonight," she whispers.

My hands settle low on her back, my pinkie grazing the top of her arse. "Me, too. It was the perfect night. Thanks for getting everyone together."

She starts kissing my neck and my hands find their way beneath her panties and squeeze. "Don't thank me. All I did was say we should all do something together tomorrow night, and Alice and Esme took it from there. I think I love them; I may never have to plan another thing ever again."

I laugh as I push her panties down and slip a finger inside her. She bites down on my neck at the intrusion and pulls herself closer to me when I slip another finger inside her.

She's so wet for me.

I flip her over for better leverage, and as she giggles at being tossed around, I quirk an eyebrow at her as my fingers find their way back home. "So, what exactly _were_ you planning on planning?"

Bella's eyes are closed and her back is arched as she presses against my fingers. "What? That didn't even make any sense."

Her hand slips between us and grabs my dick, rubbing it slowly, and her tortuous strokes cause me to drop my head to her shoulder and groan before answering, "I don't know. Why do you keep talking?"

She laughs a little, causing her to clamp down on my fingers and pull me farther in. "Oh god, right there."

Her wish, my command.

I pick up speed while she continues teasing me, and within minutes she's coming all over my hand. As I'm batting her hand away so I can slip inside her she speaks up again, "You were talking, too, you know. I was just answering your … oh _fuck_ that feels good … questions. Fuck, fuck, _fuck_."

I cover her mouth with mine, finding a much better use for it than talking. It doesn't take long before Bella's clawing at my back to pull me closer, and I'm burying my face in her neck as I release inside her. Worn out from a long and emotional day, we quickly fall into a deep and welcoming sleep.

oOoOoOo

The next morning I find myself staring at my phone. The number is entered … all that's left to do is push 'Call.'

For some reason, I haven't been able to do it for the past five minutes, though.

Bella's beside me, running small circles over my back and offering her silent support.

"What if he's already changed his mind?"

"There's only one way to know," she whispers.

I glance at Bella. Her smile is unassuming, without a hint of pressure and nothing but supportive. If I decide to tear up my dad's number and never give him another thought, she wouldn't think any less of me, and our life would go on as if this were nothing more than one big nightmare.

It's that comfort that gives me the courage to finally hit the green button.

* * *

**A/N: Extra big hugs and thank yous to my girls this week. I knew what I wanted this chapter to be, but the words just weren't coming and they pushed and prodded me through it. You have them to thank for getting anything this week.**

**Rec: I'm late to the party on this one, but **_**Little Green and Easybella**_** by BettiGefecht is amazing. There aren't enough words to tell you guys how much I adore this Edward. He has autism and is so swoonworthy. Betti puts your right into his head and explains his thoughts perfectly. Bella's his former babysitter, and when they reunite after eight years apart, she helps him open up more than his time away at school. Oh yeah, and the lemons are fuck-hot. Go. Read. Don't blame me for your messy house and neglected kids because you can't put it down. Or do … I'll take the blame … It's worth it!**

**Thank you so much to everyone who reviews. I can't tell you how much it means to me that you take the time. Reviews are love!**


	17. Chapter 15 - Talk

**Disclaimer: I am not a doctor. I've never suffered from anything Edward Sr. describes, and my research all comes from Wikipedia, so please don't take it as fact. If anyone suffers from anything I mentioned, please know I mean no disrespect if I got something wrong. I have several friends with various types of mental illness, including my best friend, and I would never intentionally offend someone. **

**Warning: Vague drug use mentioned.**

* * *

I open the door to Ben Espresso Café for Bella and scan the crowd for Dad. It's three o'clock on a Sunday, so the café is pretty empty compared to the morning rush.

Bella heard of this place from one of the other coaches and insisted we stop on the way to work one morning. According to her, the coffee is phenomenal, and I have to admit the choca-mocha-crappa thingie she got me was pretty good—as good as coffee can be anyway. When we returned the next morning, thirty minutes later in the day, the café was packed from wall to wall, and we had to leave without her precious coffee. She's been a bit pouty about the whole thing ever since. Clearly, the girl loves her coffee.

So when I told her I didn't want my father coming over to my flat, her eyes lit up immediately, and she suggested coming here. Since I'm pretty much a sucker for her smile, I agreed right away.

I finally spot my father sitting in the corner booth as far away from everyone else as possible. His eyes are trained on me, and when I dip my head in acknowledgement, his expression morphs into one of relief. Bella gives him a small wave and pulls me toward the counter.

I don't pay much attention when she places our order—she's hell-bent on finding something here that I love so we can keep coming back, and I let her do her thing. We're silent as we wait for our drinks, but Bella's hand never stops drawing its soothing circles against my back.

When our drinks arrive, Bella grabs both and I lead us over to my dad.

"Hey," I say as I let Bella slip into the booth.

"Edward. Bella," he greets us.

Once we're settled, Bella slides my drink in front of me, and in an effort to calm my nerves and keep my hands occupied, I take a small sip. When the warm, chocolaty goodness tackles my taste buds, I look over at Bella and quirk my eyebrow.

"It's a peppermint hot chocolate. I thought perhaps you needed chocolate," she says, a small smile playing on her lips.

Smiling back I whisper, "Thank you," before grabbing her hand and turning back to my dad.

He looks nervous.

Good.

"So, uh … I saw your team won yesterday. Congratulations," Dad says, not making eye contact with me.

"Yeah, it was a good win for us. Queensland is one of the best teams in the Super 15," I say, unsure of exactly where he's going with this. Is he really here because of rugby?

He looks at Bella and asks, "I understand you're one of the coaches. Do you travel with the team?"

I let out a small huff, and my dad glances at me. Bella squeezes my hand before answering, "No, sir. I hope to make it to some of them, but it's not really necessary for me to be at the games."

Dad nods and says, "Yeah, I guess the Pilates coach wouldn't be needed."

Okay. What the fuck is this? How does he know Bella's the Pilates coach?

This time when I huff, it's much louder, and Dad glances at me again, looking somewhat guilty. "Is that it? Were you just wondering how my game is going, or is there something else you wanted to talk about after nearly fifteen years of silence?"

Dad covers his face with his hands, and shaking his head he mutters, "I'm sorry, son. I have no idea what I'm doing or how to start. I knew you'd be angry and rightfully so, but the thought of explaining myself to you right now scares me shitless."

"Look," I start, wanting to get this over with as quickly as possible, "just say what you have to say. I don't have the slightest clue as to why we're even here or what you want, but I can pretty much guaran-damn-tee nothing is getting resolved today. There's too much shit to wade through for that."

"Fair enough," Dad says, finally looking at me. "I guess I should start by thanking you for meeting me. I know this must be difficult. I can't imagine my father doing to me what I did to you, and if he did, I'm not sure I would've given him a second chance."

For some reason, his statement makes me angry, and my grip on Bella's hand tightens. She squeezes back and starts rubbing her thumb around my hand in small circles. I have nothing to say, so I simply nod.

"Okay, well, I know it's not nearly enough, but I want to officially apologise for everything that happened. I could list everything, but we both know we'd be here all day for that. I'd like to tell you what happened back then … I don't want you to think I'm making excuses because there are none. What I did was horrendous, and I should've been arrested for the way I treated you." His eyes are darting around the coffee house, landing on me every so often as he fiddles with a sugar packet. I can't tell if he's just nervous about talking to me, or if he's trying to hide something.

Regardless of his intentions, I told myself that I'd at least be honest with him. My jaw tightens and I open my mouth to speak, but nothing comes out. When Bella leans into my side, I try again. "I thought you would get better and come back. I didn't want to ruin that by involving the cops," I say softly.

His gaze finally lands on me, and we maintain eye contact while he processes my words.

He looks shattered. "I can't … I don't even know what to say to that. I'm so sorry," he whispers.

I shrug off his apology and wait for him to continue. I can practically see the wheels turning in his head as he thinks of what to say next.

"When your mum died … well, you know I was devastated. I loved her so damn much. Still do," he starts.

"Yeah, well, I did too, Dad, and it wasn't my fault she died," I interrupt, blurting it out as if my insides will catch on fire if I wait one more minute to tell him. I'm surprised by the relief that courses through my body after voicing this confession. I'd forgiven myself and let go of the guilt a long time ago, but telling my father, throwing the words in his face, makes it feel even truer, if possible—even if he still doesn't agree.

"You're right. It wasn't," he says slowly, almost as if the words are new on his tongue.

We stare at each other for a minute before he continues. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to imply you didn't love her, too. I know you did and I know she'd be so ashamed of me for what I did, but I was lost without her. You three were everything to me. Before she died, I at least hope that you boys knew that. I tried to be a good father and a good husband. For so many years, we put you two first in our lives. Just as Carlisle was hitting his teen years and not needing us as much, we were just starting over with you. Don't get me wrong; we were overjoyed when we found out Mum was up the duff. We'd tried for so long…"

His voice trails off and I wonder what memory he's lost in now. Nothing he's said so far is new information. They'd told me so many times I was their miracle baby—Mum didn't think she'd be able to have any more kids.

His eyes snap back to mine. "Anyway, you were just getting to that independent stage where you didn't need us for much. You were such a good kid; we hardly ever had any problems with you anyway. As much as we hated to see you grow up, we were excited about being able to focus on _us_ again. It's hard to explain, and I hope you're able to experience it one day, but our priorities started to shift. Your needs, of course, were still number one, but we knew you would be leaving in a few years, and we would be left with only one another. That realisation made me love and appreciate your mum even more." He drops his sugar packet and leans back in the booth. "You boys … you had to love me. I raised you, put food on the table, tried to make sure you had everything you wanted—within reason. Kids love their parents—that's just the way life works. Your mum _chose_ to love me, and more importantly, she chose to _keep_ loving me even if I didn't always deserve it. I'd already moved her back as my number one priority. I don't regret that either; I believe that's how life is supposed to go."

He pauses. "Am I making sense?"

"Sorta, but I don't know what this has to do with what happened," I say, not really interested in hearing about his plans with Mum if she were still alive today.

"Right, well, obviously, I fell into a deep bout of depression after your mum died. About a week after she'd passed, I knew what I was feeling wasn't normal, so I got help right away. I saw a doctor and he prescribed me an antidepressant. After a couple weeks, I started to come out of my haze. I felt awful for how I'd treated you and wanted to make it up to you, but I just couldn't seem to find the words. You reminded me so much of her … still do from what I've seen. She was so compassionate—there's no doubt in my mind the reason you're sitting here today is because her blood is running through your veins."

I look away and take a sip of my now tepid hot chocolate. As much as I want to hear what comes next, I'm not sure I'm actually ready, so I take another sip and continue avoiding his gaze.

I'm grateful when he continues. "I found out later that my meds were never really right. I should've gone back to the doctor to adjust the prescription. I was out of my mind at the time, though, and had no clue why they weren't working so, I stopped taking them cold turkey. I really went downhill from there. Obviously, I never should've hit you, but I also never thought I'd be that bad … that out of control."

"Obviously," Bella mutters, making herself known for the first time since we'd gotten down to brass tacks.

My father looks appropriately chagrined, and I give her a grateful smile. Her eyes widen when she realises she's spoken aloud, and she quickly apologises. I pull strength from her and look my dad in the eyes again, silently asking him to continue.

"My doctors have told me since the day I …" he pauses and looks down, "… hit you that I suffered from what is commonly known as a nervous breakdown. Originally, I'd been diagnosed with acute stress disorder, which is just a fancy-arsed way of saying I couldn't deal with my wife's death. It was supposed to get better with time. I was only supposed to have to take the drugs for a short while to deal with the loss, and then we could move forward."

He looks back up at me again. "I'm so sorry. I wish I could go back to that day. I hate myself for it. I was so ashamed. I knew what I did was wrong, but I couldn't stop myself. My days after that were spent wrought with guilt and grief."

I look away, unable to stand the sight of him. I'd assumed something like this. I knew he had to have some kind of mental breakdown to do what he did. I could accept that—it's something that can't be controlled—I know that someone suffering from depression can't just snap his fingers and turn it off because he wants to be happy again. What I can't accept is the fourteen years that have passed since then with no word from him.

"I started drinking … pretty heavily, so I couldn't feel the pain of losing you and your mother, and when that wasn't strong enough anymore, I switched to P and eventually harder drugs. I, uh, did that for several years. Too many, really. I tried to stop a few times and couldn't." His voice is quiet and shame resonates through every word.

Stunned, I sit back in the booth and study my dad's face. I never expected this—which is absurd, given how many scenarios I had rolled around in my head.

But drugs?

"One day, I heard some of my mates talking about the newest half-fly on the All Blacks. I couldn't believe it when they said your name. I'd kept up with you enough in the beginning to know you'd started playing the sport, but the more I spiralled downward … well," he trails off before continuing, "it was a very low, shameful time for me. I'd prefer to spare you the details; I don't think they'd do either one of us any good, but the day after I heard my friends talking, I admitted myself to rehab. I thought if you could make something of yourself after everything that happened with your mum and everything I put you through, maybe there was a chance that I could pull myself together and at least be worthy of apologising to you."

"I've been on the All Blacks for seven years, Dad." My words are harsh, biting.

He's looking down at the table again when he says, "I know, I'm sorry. I …"

"_Fuck_. Seven years, Dad!" I erupt.

His eyes shoot up to mine. "I'm sorry," he continues. "I had to go to rehab twice … I had no support system outside of that complex after the first time, and I barely lasted a month. It was close to a year after I got out that I saw someone wearing a Cullen jersey with the number ten on it. I didn't even wait until the next day that time. They put me through a longer program after that and gave me additional support when I got out. I was scared by then, though. I'd already messed up countless times and relapsed once. I couldn't stand the thought of facing you just to let you down again. I became consumed with visiting my therapist. I was finally diagnosed with chronic adjustment disorder, and this time I worked with my doctors to ensure I was on the right mix of prescription drugs.

"I kept thinking I'd get in touch with you boys when I was all better. I didn't want to put my baggage on you. It'd already been years; what would a few more months hurt? We'd all be better for it since I wouldn't be a total wreck."

He pauses, shaking his head as he continues, "I was such a coward, though. Once I was doing well enough on the meds, I thought it would be better if I could come to you and tell you I didn't even need my prescriptions anymore. Then, it was finding a better job, so you wouldn't doubt my reasons. There was always something I wanted to improve, so I could be worthy of you again."

My teeth are gnawing on the inside of my cheek as I listen to his words. Bella's wiping stray tears from her cheeks and running her hand up and down my leg. My mind is going a million kilometres a minute. I'm not sure what to think or how to process his words. They don't even make sense to me. He just said it … he's my dad. I had to love him. How could he not have known I didn't need "perfect dad" back, I just needed _my_ dad … in whatever capacity he could've managed?

I'm angry and confused, and his excuses seem weak. When our eyes meet again, I can tell he feels the same way.

Good.

"So what changed?" I manage to ask.

He sits back in his seat again and sighs. "There's no easy way to put this, but I met someone. She was in my AA group, and we became good friends. Eventually, I opened up to her about my past, your mum, you boys … even what I did to you. As our friendship progressed into something more, she started pushing me to contact you … she said I'd regret it for the rest of my life if I didn't man up and do it."

He's met someone. Fan-fucking-tastic. So his new girlfriend wants him to make amends, and he comes running. "I … I don't … I don't think I know what to do with that," I say finally.

Dad nods, looking back down at the table and playing with the damn sugar packet again. "Jane's very important to me, but I want you to understand how deeply in love I am with your mother. Still to this day. She gave me so much, including you boys, and I will love her until the day I die. Jane knows how I feel, but she's helped me to see that I have room in my heart to love more than one person."

I'm silent, still unsure what to say when suddenly he changes course. "Showing up at your flat like that … it was stupid. I'm sorry about that. I'd finally given myself a deadline to talk to you by the end of February. I was on my way home that night and got it stuck in my head that I should stop at your place. It wasn't hard to find, what with you being a big hot shot. Man, Jane really let me have it when I told her what'd I'd done. She couldn't believe I'd ambushed you like that, either."

"Smart woman," Bella says, quirking her eyebrows at my dad.

He smiles at her and nods. "She is. While I'm at it, in case I don't get another chance, I'm very glad my son has you. I didn't realise he was dating someone. There's only so much you can find out from watching the games, and I never felt like I deserved to know more than that. Although, I admit I did snoop a little after meeting you the other night; it's obvious how much you two love each other. "

Bella's cheeks flare with a deep blush, and I cover her hand with mine. Her gaze flickers to me, and I raise my eyebrows. I've had enough, and I'm ready to go home.

"Is there anything else?" I ask.

Panic flickers across my father's face. "No, I guess not. Will I see you again?"

"I don't know yet. It's too much to process right now while I'm angry and hurt and confused, and I'm not sure how long it's going to take me to process this. I don't want to leave you wondering for the rest of your life as you did to me though, so no matter what I decide, I'll be in touch eventually. Please respect my wishes, and let me figure this out. It's not going to happen overnight."

I can tell he's relieved, and part of me believes everything he just told me. "Thank you. I know I don't deserve this, but I'm so grateful for it. If you have any questions, or want to talk, or just … anything … please don't hesitate to call. It's very difficult for a man to admit his mistakes, especially to his son, but I'm willing to do whatever it takes to have you in my life in whatever capacity you're willing to allow."

His words almost break me. I've wanted to hear them for so long. Part of me wants to break down and pull him into a hug right now, but I'm far too emotional to make such a rash decision. If there's one thing I learned from Bella's rejection last month, it's that things that are meant to happen eventually do, but in their own time.

I give Dad another nod before scooting out of the booth, pulling Bella behind me. "I'll be in touch," I tell him before walking away.

oOoOoOo

We're silent the entire time Bella drives us back to my flat. She lets us in and pulls me straight through the living room to my bedroom and into the bathroom, where she immediately begins filling the tub with water.

Turning to me she says, "Arms up," and when I comply, she swiftly lifts my shirt over my head and goes to work on my shorts, pulling off my shoes and socks along the way. Checking the water, she adds some of her girly shit and lights a few scented candles then instructs me to get in the tub. I'm not stupid, so of course I obey, and I'm relieved when she strips down and climbs in with me.

My arms circle her waist, resting on her flat stomach, and she covers them with her own. We sit and soak while I decompress. She doesn't push me to talk or voice her own opinion but still gives me the comfort that only she can.

Her head is resting against my shoulder when the water starts to cool down, so I give her a quick squeeze and ask, "You ready to get out?"

"Sure," she says, pressing a soft kiss to the bottom of my chin before climbing out of the tub.

It's still fairly early and we haven't eaten dinner yet, but we put on our pyjamas anyway and get into bed.

When she's tucked into my side, and the TV is showing reruns that both of us are ignoring, I finally speak up. "Thank you for being there today. I would've been a wreck otherwise."

"You're welcome. I'm glad I could help. Do you want to talk about it?" she asks.

"I'm not sure. I'm kind of tired of thinking about it right now. Can we just keep doing this?"

"Sounds perfect to me," she says, cuddling closer into me.

"Just one question first?" I ask.

"What's that?"

"Do you believe him?"

Bella sits up with her hand on my chest, looking me directly in the eye. "Oh, baby. I wish I could tell you that every word out of his mouth was the God's honest truth, but I don't even know him. If I had to hazard a guess, I'd say at the very least he believes what he's saying. There were times the anguish was so evident on his face. If he was lying … he's a very good actor."

I close my eyes and lean my head back, pulling Bella against me until her face is buried in my neck, where she places a small kiss. "That's kind of what I thought, too. Thank you. It makes it easier to process everything if I'm not constantly saying 'But what if everything he said was a lie?' in my head."

"I know, and for your sake and Carlisle's, I hope he's telling the truth."

"Yeah. Okay, I really just want to eat Chinese take-out," _I kiss her nose…_ "in bed," _her cheek_… "with you," _under her ear_… "and not think about him again the rest of the night."

Bella's smile is so wide, it could rival one of Emmett's. "I could _so_ go for Chinese! That Peking Duck I had with Esme a few weeks ago was amazing!"

For the first time all afternoon I laugh, and Bella scrambles out of bed to call in our food. I may not know what I'm going to do about my father yet, but there's no doubt in my mind that my future lies with that girl.

* * *

**A/N: P is another name for meth/speed in NZ.**

**So … I had a minor heart attack when Midnight Cougar asked if I wouldn't mind if she rec'd **_**Try**_**! DUH! OF COURSE I WOULDN'T MIND! It's beautiful and lovely and perfect, and I'm still squeezing over it! Check it out at (take out spaces and * should be.) … robattack * wordpress * com / 2013 / 02 / 01 / down-under-with-rob-part-3-the-down-under-connection/**

**Thanks to my usual suspects ... amber, born, yummy, and whiti keep me on track. Chaya is my beta extraordinaire … not only fixing my many, many, many comma errors (as well as all other grammar errors) but offering me much needed insight and support.**

**Recs (2 b/c both are on hiatus but I love both): _All the President's Men_ by Shahula is a fantastic Presidentward whose wife went missing during his campaign. She was presumed dead in an airplane crash, but was recently found in a tiny town in Alaska with no memory of her previous life. It's such a compelling story … I couldn't put it down.**

**_Edroar the Angry Lion_**** by Tropical Sorbet … This fic is so funny. Every character is outrageous in their own way, and every character is terrified of Edward … except his new personal massage therapist, Bella. It's such a treat to see her work her way under his skin. I dare you to read this and not laugh.**

**I'm kinda dying to know what you guys thought of this chapter and how you feel about Carlisle. Leave some love, please!**


	18. Chapter 16 - Fun and Relaxation

**A/N: Happy Valentine's Day and thank you to everyone who reviewed the last chapter! I loved hearing the differing opinions on Edward and his dad's conflict. You guys rock … Edward kisses to all. **

* * *

The following week passes quickly. Coach works us even harder to prepare for our game against the Rebels though no one is complaining. We want to go into our bye with a perfect record just as much as he does.

Our game is on Sunday, so the team flies to Melbourne Saturday, and I'm pretty excited when Bella decides to join us this time. Team curfew allows Bella and me only enough time to have dinner together, and as it's technically our first official date, we decide to go to Casa Cuiccio, a highly recommended restaurant that just recently opened. I can't help but laugh as Bella looks over the menu.

"Octopus tentacle," she says as her noses scrunches up. "Aren't they poisonous? What the hell is a waggy-you neck? Or a John Dory?"

"Octopi are not poisonous. I think you're thinking of blowfish. _Wagyu_ is a type of cow, and John Dory is fish," I explain, grabbing her hand. "Do you want to eat somewhere else? This is a little more 'outback' than I was expecting."

"No! No, I don't know if I'll ever get back here; I want to experience the local cuisine," she says, twirling her hand in the air without looking up. "Oh yeah, we're definitely not leaving—they have a sample of cheeses. Maybe I'll get the zucchini, eggplant, and labneh and add the Roquefort on the side. Oh! We have to try the strawberry mascarpone with drunken crumbs for dessert!"

When she finally looks up at me, she's so excited I really just want to take her back to my hotel room; instead, I laugh again and say, "Well, normally I'd go for the chocolate buñuelos, but I suppose for you I can make an exception."

"Or … we can get both, and I can wake up an hour early in the morning to run it off! I wish we had more time here, so I didn't feel like we had to cram so much into one day."

"We can come back, you know? After the season ends. I get a couple weeks off before All Blacks start this year."

Her shoulders slump and her smile fades just a little. "That sounds nice, though I'm not sure how long I'll be able to stay once it's over."

Oh. Right.

I quickly get up from my side of the booth and slip my arm around her as I scoot in next to her. "Hey, we'll figure it out. Jasper thinks you're doing a great job; so does most of the team. There's no reason they wouldn't keep you on staff. If not, you can always look for other jobs around here … unless you _wanted_ to go back home."

Bella's face twists as she looks at me. "I'm not sure I know where home is anymore. I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to get away from everything and figure out who I am, so I could start over when I got back. Now … I mean, it's stupid … I haven't even been here two months, but I feel like this is where I'm supposed to be—with you and Alice and Rose and even Emmett."

She's starting to look a little panicky, so I pull her closer and kiss the top of her head. "Why don't we talk about this next weekend on the drive to Rotorua? That way we can enjoy tonight but still get everything out in the open before our vacation."

Bella's eyes find mine and she looks grateful before a frown mars her face. "I'm so sorry, Edward. I didn't mean to ruin tonight. It's been on my mind, and I guess bringing up the end of the season triggered it. You need to be focused on tomorrow's game!"

"Don't apologise. I've been thinking about it, too, and just so you don't worry about us, I've been looking into American football to see what my chances of playing are if you decide to move back. I'm not sure I'll be able to play for their rugby team since I'm on the All Blacks, but gridiron should be a piece of cake after playing a real sport all these years, and there's always sevens," I try to joke.

Bella doesn't take my out. Instead, she studies me, maybe trying to find some hint of uncertainty in my words.

She won't find any.

"But you love rugby," she finally says.

I nod. "I do."

She takes a deep breath. "You love me more?"

I shrug my shoulders, a small smile on my face.

"I love you, too," she breathes, burying her head in my chest. "I know it's too soon and a little crazy, but I can't _not_ feel it. It's so consuming."

Cupping the back of her head with my hand, I ask, "Who says it's too soon? Emmett knew the moment he laid eyes on Rose. He was a goner before she even opened her mouth to tell him off for double-parking and blocking her in, and I'm pretty sure she wasn't far behind."

"You're right," she says, lifting her head to look at me. "I know you are. So … you gonna kiss me or what?"

Smirking, I lean down and press my lips to hers, but before I can get a good taste of her, the waiter interrupts our moment. We place our order quickly but are unable to pick up where we left off before someone else approaches.

"Are you Edward Cullen?"

"Yeah, sure am," I say, shifting in the seat.

"Sweet as! I knew it was you. I'm a huge fan, mate! I'm originally from Whangarei but moved to Melbourne a few years ago. Would you mind giving me your autograph?"

"Sure, no problem," I say, grabbing the pen he's holding. "What's your name?"

"Demetri. You ready for tomorrow? I'll be at the game, silently cheering for you. My mates would kick my arse if did it aloud," he laughs.

"Ready as we're going to be," I tell him, putting my arm back around Bella. "Coach worked us hard enough this week—that's for sure!"

"Well, good luck tomorrow, and thanks for this." He waves around the napkin with my name on it.

"Sorry about that," I say, turning back to Bella.

"Pfft … don't be. I love how gracious you are with your fans. He totally just ruined our moment, but you were still so nice to him."

I pull Bella a little closer. "We were having a moment, aye?"

"Oh yeah," she says as her hand falls on my chest and travels down, landing in my lap. "It was gonna be a good one, too."

I lean down, drawing her face closer to mine until our lips touch again. My tongue swipes her bottom lip before my teeth gently tug her upper one into my mouth. Bella's hand roams over my dick when she reciprocates and sucks my bottom lip between hers. I try to stay mindful of the fact that we're in a public place, but I can't stop the moan that escapes when Bella's hand flutters back over my very hard cock. I let our tongues dance around each other for just another moment before forcing my lips away and leaning my forehead against hers.

"Alice is out with Coach tonight?" I ask.

"Yep," she says, her eyes hooded with lust.

"Wanna get our food to go?"

"Definitely."

oOoOoOo

Forty-five minutes later, I'm practically dragging Bella down the hallway to her hotel room. Curfew isn't for another two hours, but I have a lot to do between now and then.

We actually managed to eat some of our food while we waited for the desserts to arrive, so at least that's out of the way, but I swear the way Bella was biting into her pieces of Roquefort she was trying to get me to carry her off to the bathroom and do inappropriate things to her. Who knew cheese could be sexy?

Finally, we're in her room with the door closed and locked behind us. Bella places our dessert containers on the desk and moves to the foot of the bed with a coy smile on her face. I stalk toward her slowly, pulling my shirt over my head along the way. Grasping her waist, I tug her toward me, lining up every inch of our bodies.

Her hands travel up my bare arms and link behind my neck, while mine slip down her back and land under her arse. I hoist her up and move us onto the bed, laying her down in the centre with every intention of worshipping her body for the next hour and forty-five minutes.

Starting under her ear, I gently nibble and lick up and down her neck before moving across her collarbone and giving her other side the same treatment. Bella's whimpers and moans spur me on as I slowly start to unbutton her shirt, but her hands rake up my back, pulling me closer and making it difficult.

I'm finally victorious and immediately seek out her breast with my mouth, but Bella has other ideas. She kisses me soundly before pushing me over and straddling my hips, her fingers trailing down my chest and abs as she swivels her hips against mine.

Leaning down, she kisses her way across the stubble on my cheek until she reaches my ear and then copies my actions from just moments before. Kiss down my neck, lick across my chest, and nibble back up my neck until she gently tugs my other earlobe between her teeth.

Her warm breath in my ear produces a moan from deep within my chest, and suddenly I'm frantic to get her naked. Bella picks up on my desperation and joins me as I start tugging off her clothes until finally the only article of clothing separating us is my boxers.

"Fuck, baby," I mumble, as her teeth sink into my skin, and her hands push my boxers down. Bella's driving me insane with want as she tortures me by sliding her wet pussy up and down my erection. I briefly consider asking her to slow down, but when her hand grips my cock and lines us up, I surrender. I close my eyes as she sinks down onto me and let out another needy groan when her hips are flush with mine.

She closes her eyes and plants her hands on my chest, then wiggles around to pull me in even deeper. "You feel so good inside me," she whispers, leaning down to frame my head with her arms and kiss me lightly. "Every single time. I keep thinking I'll get used to it, to us, but I don't."

I run my hands up her sides and bury them in her hair, pulling her even closer to me. She still hasn't moved, and we're frozen from the waist down while she peppers kisses along my jawline and neck. "I love you," she whispers.

Emotion washes over me, and I hold her tighter. It's such a relief to hear her say those words, to know she feels the same way about me as I do her. It's overpowering and frightening and fan-fucking-tastic. "I love you, too, Bella."

She raises her head slowly, and I settle my hands on her hips. "Yeah?" she asks.

Chuckling, I answer, "Of course. I thought we went over this in the restaurant."

She buries her head back in my neck and slowly swirls her hips, not letting me forget we're joined. "I know, but you didn't actually _say_ it. I knew what you meant, but it's still nice to hear the words out loud."

Her muscles squeeze around my cock, and I rock her hips as I think back over the night and realise she's right. "I'm sorry, baby. I didn't even notice with the waiter and then that guy interrupting us. I can't tell you how glad I am that you didn't doubt me, though."

"How could I?" she whispers, finally sliding herself up so just the tip of my cock is inside of her before sliding back down until I'm fully sheathed. "You show me every day."

With that, Bella kisses my mouth and I know it's time to stop talking. I lie back, letting her take charge as she rides me at an achingly slow pace while her hands and mouth touch, kiss, and lick every inch of skin they can reach. She takes another piece of my heart when it clicks that she's expressing her love for me by worshiping my body exactly as I'd wanted to do to her. I soak up every ounce of love she gives me with each movement of her body and do my best to pour mine right back into her.

When she finally convulses around me, I let myself follow and then pull her tightly against me.

After several moments, she giggles and raises her head, rolling her eyes as she says, "This sucks ass."

"Uh … okay. Thanks, I guess?"

"Not us! You having to go back to your room. We picked the worst time ever to say 'I love you' for the first time!"

Laughing, I tickle her sides and say, "You have a point, though I would argue that there's never a bad time to hear you say that to me."

She swats at my chest. "Oh, stop being so perfect. You know what I mean. It'd be nice to stay here and cuddle with you all night … and maybe have a repeat performance or ten."

"That does sound kinda perfect. For the record, if we hadn't spilled the beans tonight, I was planning on telling you on our trip next weekend and hoping for exactly what you just described."

"Ah, I had to go and fuck it all up, huh?"

"If you want, I can take it back. We can pretend it never happened and have a redo next weekend," I say, winking at her.

Her eyes widen. "Don't you dare! I'm greedy now … I want to hear it every day _and_ have a tonne of sex next weekend!"

I tug her down to me and squeeze her tightly, "Dear God, I love you, woman!"

Laughing, Bella pushes herself out of my grip and gingerly climbs off of me. I only whine a little when she cleans herself up and hands me my clothes so we can eat our desserts.

I decide to leave before Alice comes back to their room even though I'm sure Bella will tell her everything that happened, but I don't really want to be around when Alice discovers the rumpled bed and an even more rumpled-looking Bella. Pausing at the door, Bella kisses me one last time. "Good luck tomorrow. Kick some Aussie ass."

"I'll do my best. Love you," I say with a wink before heading back to my room.

oOoOoOo

We win Sunday's game by a landslide, twenty-four to five, and before I know it, Monday night arrives. Since Carlisle talked to Dad this weekend, we decided to swap stories tonight, so I invited Emmett over as well for an impromptu guys' night. While I'm waiting for Carlisle and Emmett to get here, I pull out a couple of take-out menus from the kitchen drawer and grab a beer.

I love spending time with Bella, but I have to admit I'm really looking forward to just hanging out with my brother and best friend tonight, although I still wish I could crawl into bed with her after they leave. All in due time.

There's a loud pounding on the door, but I don't bother to get up. The only person who would knock that loudly is Emmett, and he wouldn't dream of waiting for me to actually answer the door. Sure enough, a moment later he's plopping himself down in my chair and panting like he just sprinted up the stairs.

"What's up, mate?" I ask. "Elevator out?"

"Nope," he wheezes. "I bet Carlisle five bucks I could run up the stairs faster than the elevator would get him here."

My brother walks into the room, digging into his wallet to pay Emmett. "You also failed to mention you were going to hit every single button before you took off. I shouldn't give you this since you cheated."

Emmett snatches the bill out of Carlisle's hand before he can change his mind. "Not my fault you didn't set the guidelines before you agreed to the bet."

"You are such a child," I laugh at him.

"That may be so, but I'm a child who's five bucks richer!" he throws back at me.

"Then you can pay for dinner tonight," Carlisle retorts.

"Yeah, right," Emmett guffaws. "This wouldn't even cover my appetizer. What're we getting anyway?"

I shrug and gesture toward the menus on the table. "You guys pick. Anyone want a beer?" I ask, getting up and grabbing two without waiting for their answers.

Emmett orders a couple pizzas and some wings while Carlisle joins me on the couch.

"So?" I ask.

Carlisle doesn't hesitate to fill me in on his chat with our father. "He pretty much told Esme and me the same thing he told you guys. Apologised a lot. Thanked me for taking such good care of you. He asked us a few questions about you. We didn't tell him much—figured it was your decision what he should know about your life—but we did tell him how you got into rugby. He was damn near tears and couldn't stop thanking Esme after that."

"You really think that's all there is to it, then?"

Emmett joins us and sits back down in the chair while taking a huge bite out of an apple.

"I kinda do, yeah," Carlisle answers.

"Bella and I did, too," I say, tipping back my bottle. "I wish we could know for sure, but that's almost impossible."

"Want me to check up on him?" Emmett offers. "I know people. We can find out his every move over the past however many years if you want."

"How the fuck do you know 'people' who can verify his story?" I ask.

Emmett lowers his half-eaten apple before taking another bite. "Are you doubting me young Padawan? Contrary to popular belief, you're not my only friend. Other people recognize the awesomeness of the Emmenator, you know?"

"Oh, I know. There's no need to remind me. You really think we should check up on his story?" I look toward Carlisle.

"I don't know. It wouldn't hurt if it brings us peace of mind," he says, taking a sip of his own beer.

Sighing, I have to admit, "I don't think it would, though. I think I believe what he says about his past, and I think his intentions are honest. I worry a little that I'm being naïve and just falling for his story because I want him back in my life, though."

Carlisle studies me for a minute before agreeing. "I'm glad you feel the same way I do. It's difficult to reconcile everything he said with the man I knew as our father. I think I could forgive him for what he did to me—I was a grown man—but what he did to you … I don't know, Edward."

"Don't hold back because of me," I tell my brother. "If you can come to terms with what went down between you two, I think you should."

Carlisle chuffs, "I wish it were that easy."

"I know, right?" Without warning, I can feel my anger building again. "It's like he has this valid reason that I can't really fault him for … it is what it is, and it sucks. Part of me even understands why it took him so long to seek us out again, but damn if it doesn't still piss me off, and all that does is make me feel guilty which just makes me mad all over again that he still has this power over me!"

"I know what you mean. It almost feels unfair to know he was suffering and remorseful all these years. It'd be easier to tell him to fuck off if he'd never given us a second thought," Carlisle observes.

"Yeah," I add, quietly, "but he's not that guy. At least, he wasn't before Mum died."

We're silent for a few minutes until Emmett leans forward, placing his elbows on his knees. "You guys didn't really ask for my opinion … but I'm gonna give it anyway." For once in his life, Emmett actually sounds a little nervous when he continues. "Seems to me that at some point in your life, your dad was a pretty great guy—and you'll probably never have that type of relationship with him again—but I think you owe it to yourselves to at least give him a chance. You know you're going to hate yourself if you blow him off."

"Yeah, Em, but it's not like I can just snap my fingers and forgive him because I know it's the right thing to do. _Believe_ me. I've been telling Bella all week I wanted to try, but then the years of not knowing anything pop into my head, and I think he could've called, or emailed, or fuck … sent a damn message in Morse code for all I care, anything to let us know that he was alive and sorry and trying to do better because he fucking cared about us."

"Fuck," Carlisle murmurs, leaning forward and burying his head in his hands.

"I'm sorry, man," Emmett apologises. "I didn't mean to make it sound easy. It's totally different for me because I'm an outside observer, so it seems a little more black and white. I don't think you should, or could, forgive him right away, but I think you could take a step toward forgiving him by letting him prove that he means what he says."

Carlisle turns his head toward Emmett. "When the hell did you get so smart?"

I can't help but laugh, and I'm relieved when some of my anger fades away. Emmett's face lights up as if we've just won the World Cup as he spread his arms and leans back in his chair again. "Why do you think everybody calls me Emstein? I should be inventing the next light bulb and shit."

"I've never heard anyone call you Emstein, idiot," I say, still laughing.

"Only because I just made that shit up. Give it a week, and you'll never hear the name Emmett again."

"We should be so lucky," I joke.

I dodge when Emmett throws a pillow at me. "Fucker."

"So," Carlisle says, finally drinking from his bottle again, "you gonna take 'Emstein's' advice?"

I rub my hand down my face and sigh. "Yeah. I think I knew I would all along, but it's still going to be hard to let go of all this anger and fucking … _hurt_."

"I know what you mean," Carlisle agrees. "We should tell him up front, although I think he already knows it won't be easy based on the conversation he and I had. He seemed much more prepared to talk with Esme and me than what you described. He knows we aren't going to be one big happy family again anytime soon."

There's a knock at the door, and Emmett jumps up before I even have time to turn my head. "Sweet as! Pizza's here! You're buying, right, C?"

"For fuck's sake, Em! You already conned me out of five bucks!" Carlisle hollers.

"I got it," I call, pushing myself off the couch. I give the delivery girl a generous tip as she eye-fucks Emmett. By the look on her face, I can't tell if she's terrified of Emmett's hulking stature or contemplating asking for his number.

"Thanks, bro," Emmett says as he carries the food into the kitchen. "So, what're we gonna do the rest of the night now that we're done being negative Nancys?

I punch his arm as he grabs three slices of pizza and adds them to the mound of wings already piled on his plate. "Actually, I bought a sports package for my X-box so I could practice playing American football in case Bella ends up having to go back … thought I could try to sign with one of their pro teams. That is, if I can figure out the game."

"Whuf'a'fuh oo tawhih bough?" Emmett spews, his mouth full of food.

"What the fuck, man?" I say, picking a small chunk of pizza off my arm. "You don't have to spit on me."

Emmett swallows loudly. "Sorry. You two are moving to America?" he asks, setting his plate down.

"This is news to me, too," Carlisle says.

"No! I mean, we hope not, but you guys know how I feel about her, and if she wanted to go back, I would go, too. We've only talked about it briefly, but she wants to stay here if at all possible."

"What do you mean 'if at all possible'? Why couldn't she stay?" Emmett looks panicked.

"You know her job was only temporary when she accepted the position. She's just gotta talk to Jasper to make sure she can stay on next year. We haven't even looked at visa stuff yet, but I guess there's always the chance she wouldn't be allowed to stay."

"Fuck that!" Emmett bellows. "Marry the girl. Then she can stay even if she doesn't have a job. She won't need one with your rich arse supporting her."

"I hardly think needing to stay in the country is a reason he should marry her, Emmett," my brother interjects.

"Well, it's better than him moving to a country that doesn't even have _real_ football!" Emmett retorts.

"Fuck, Em! Calm down," I tell him. "There's only like a five percent chance we're going anywhere, okay? Bella and I want to stay here. I bought the game before I knew what she wanted to do."

"Shit balls, Ed. I almost had a fucking aneurism," Emmett mutters.

Laughing, I throw my arm over his shoulders. "Aw, I love you, too, Emmy bear," I tease, pulling out the big guns and calling him by the hated nickname his ex used.

"Fuck off, jackass," Emmett says, shoving me away but laughing as he does. He grabs his plate and heads back to the living room. "Let's go play this pansy-arsed football game and drink some beer. I've had enough heavy shit for one night."

Carlisle claps me on the shoulder before we follow Emmett. "For what it's worth, I'm really proud of you … for everything. Not only for the way you're handling this whole thing with Dad, but for your commitment to Bella, too. It's not an easy thing to do. I'm glad you're happy. I'm also glad you two are planning to stay here—she would've been missed just as much as you."

"Thanks, Carlisle," I say, giving him a one-armed hug. "That means a lot, though, I don't think I'm dealing with this as well as you are. You saw me blow up in there. I just can't help it sometimes."

Huffing, Carlisle says, "Trust me. Esme's seen me go off more in the past two weeks than she has since right after Dad left. I feel exactly the same way you do, but I'm glad we're going to at least leave the door open."

"Yeah, I just hope he doesn't disappoint us … again," I say, grabbing my own full plate and heading into the living room with Carlisle.

Emmett's already gotten everything set up and is updating his avatar's outfit on the Kinect to match his own. I take a huge bite of pizza before joining Emmett while Carlisle grabs a seat in the chair to watch us play the first game.

I pull out my phone and shoot a quick text to Bella, knowing it's going to be a long night. Practice doesn't start until late tomorrow, and for once, I'm not going in early.

My phone buzzes in my hand almost immediately, and I smile as I read: **Love you, too. xoxo**

With a huge grin on my face, I toss the phone on the couch and grab my controller, ready to have a night of fun and relaxation with the guys.

* * *

**A/N: Thank you to my wonderful team: amber, born, chaya, whiti, and yummy. Lots of loves.**

**My family had the stomach virus so I'm sneaking on to post after disinfecting the entire house all day. I still have a few review replies from prior chapters to do (littlemo and kag … looking at you! Sorry!), but hopefully I can catch up tonight. **

**No Recs today… sorry! I'll double up next week.**

**Reviews are love!**


	19. Chapter 17 - Vacation

**A/N: Guest reviewer Jls… YES! Other countries view American football as a bit of a wimpy game from what I have gathered. We're a big football family so the views expressed in this fic are **_**not**_** my own!**

* * *

The following two days pass slowly, but Thursday finally rolls around and Bella and I are climbing in my car to head to Rotorua. Bella, who stayed in with Alice and Esme at her flat last night, looks worse for the wear, so I offer to drive for the duration of the three-hour trip. As tired and hung over as she is, she looks kind of adorable curled up in the passenger seat with her pillow.

"I guess we won't be going out drinking tonight," I tease.

She moans without opening her eyes. "No. Definitely not. I think a day napping by the lake is about all I can handle today."

"How much did you guys drink? You look like you're hurting pretty bad."

"All of it. We drank all the alcohol, and when it was gone, we ate the fruit that was soaked in the shit."

I can't help but laugh at her misery. I know Esme is a lightweight; she would've been wasted after two drinks, but Alice, despite her tiny size, is a fucking beast when it comes to holding her alcohol.

"You didn't try to keep up with Alice, did you?"

She finally opens her eyes as her head pops up. "Yes! She's a fucking machine! Where does she even keep it all?"

"You got me, baby. It's one of life's greatest mysteries. Sometimes I think she dumps half of it out when we aren't looking."

She lays her head back down and tucks her feet beneath her thighs. "Am I the worst girlfriend ever if I sleep during this trip?"

"Of course not. I was going to suggest you take a nap when you showed up this morning looking like you crawled out from under the rubble of a volcanic eruption."

Her foot pops over the console and nudges my leg. "Shut it, you. That was my first girls' night in since … I can't even remember the last time. I was probably in high school. I was due to overindulge."

"I know. I'm just teasing you. Go to sleep; I'll wake you when we get close."

"You're the best, and if I thought I could stomach it, I'd open up the brownies we made last night for the trip, but you'll just have to help yourself."

"Brownies, aye? I knew I loved you for a reason."

"Mmm.. well, nothing says I love you like a little chocolate, especially with us. Now shush and let me sleep," she mumbles into the pillow.

"As you wish," I say, turning on my iPod and settling in for the drive.

oOoOoOo

I wake Bella up when we're about twenty minutes from our destination, so we can grab a quick Maori roast. After we finish eating, we head over to Lakeview Heights, the bed and breakfast where we'll be staying for the next few days.

Aside from a couple of trips to Mount Eden, Bella has yet to see much of the New Zealand countryside, so I chose Lakeview Heights since it sits on a large farm—complete with our infamous sheep. Plus it's on the lake, so I get to see her lie around in a bikini and everyone wins.

I carry our luggage into the front foyer of the house where we see a small child playing with a couple of buzzy bees. As soon as he sees us, he shouts through the house, "Mummy! The new guests are here!"

Fortunately, Bella's fully recovered after her nap because before he even finishes his sentence, he's right in front of her talking a mile a minute and explaining how the toy bees click and twirl. Bella drops her bag immediately and kneels down in front of him to give him her full attention.

I can't help but smile, watching her with the little boy. We're nowhere close to being ready to think about having kids, but it's nice to know she's not completely horrified by them.

"Ah, you must be Edward then? I'm Angela. Welcome to our home," says a young woman as she enters the room. Holding out her hand to shake mine, she admonishes her son. "Felix, leave the girl alone; she's on vacation."

Bella peeks over his head with a beautiful smile on her face and tells the woman she's fine, essentially shooing Angela and me off to handle the paperwork.

Angela checks me in quickly and even offers to make us lunch. I thank her but let her know we stopped for fish and chips and ask for a recommendation for dinner instead. She gives me several suggestions and makes me promise to let her know where we end up.

I steal my girlfriend away from Felix and follow Angela's instructions to our room. Bella oohs and ahs over every little thing in the room, but the only two things that get my attention are the king-size bed and the Jacuzzi bathtub in the en suite.

Even though Bella's feeling much better, we stick with our plan to lounge by the lake and quickly unpack. Bella looks sinful in her dark blue bikini, and the caveman in me wants to keep her locked in the room away from prying eyes—even if Felix is the only other guy here right now.

Instead, I shake the feeling and grab her hand, proud to be the luckiest motherfucker on the damn planet because she chose me.

We find the makeshift beach easily enough, and Bella's quick to lie on her stomach and ask me to rub sunscreen on her back.

I draw out the process as long as possible. It barely lasts two minutes, but it's still the worst kind of foreplay because there's nothing to do about it within plain view of the house. She offers to return the favour, but I decline, not willing to torture my poor dick any further.

"So," she starts, her cheek resting on folded hands as she peers over at me, "I finally got a chance to talk with Jasper yesterday."

"Yeah?" I ask, trying to keep the nervousness out of my voice. "How'd that go?"

"Good! Great actually. He said they definitely want to keep me on next year if I'm interested. There's a lot that goes into the decision, so he couldn't tell me I'm definitely in, but he doesn't see why it would be a problem either."

"What goes into it aside from negotiating a contract?" I wonder aloud.

"Well, the Pilates program was basically a test run this year. So they have to do whatever evaluation they do before they can say for sure if having the program is worth the cost of paying a trainer."

"That shouldn't be too hard. Our record was dismal last year; I can't believe we're still undefeated."

Laughing, Bella agrees. "Jasper pretty much said the same thing; he also brought up something else."

"What's that?"

Bella perches herself up on her elbows and studies me. "He mentioned passing my name along to the coach of the All Blacks. He's not sure how it would work, or even if it could. Regardless, I told him to hold off until I talked with you. I wanted to make sure you were okay with it first."

"Why wouldn't I be?" I balk. "That'd be an amazing opportunity for you!"

Bella huffs and lays her head back down. "I know and I knew you would say that, but still … it would've felt kinda icky if I hadn't said something to you first. We're already practically living together, and I didn't want to encroach on your time and space _everywhere_."

"Ugh. You're right. It's such a hardship to watch my sexy-as-fuck girlfriend bend her body into impossible positions while wearing skin-tight pants."

Her hand slips out to pop my arm while she laughs. "That's enough from the peanut gallery, thanks."

"Peanut gallery? You calling me nutty or something?"

A wide smile spreads across Bella's face. "Have I finally found an American phrase that you don't understand?"

I can't help but laugh at her delight. "Looks like it. Care to explain it to me or just leave me thinking I'm crazy?"

"Not crazy. The peanut gallery is just the part of an audience that heckles the performers on stage. They usually had the cheapest seats and were served peanuts, which often ended up on stage when they wanted to show their displeasure. I forget where it originated from, but it's a pretty common phrase in America."

"Ah, well I'll be sure to keep my nuts to myself if you don't want them thrown at you then." Bella quirks an eyebrow at my awful joke but chuckles nonetheless.

Propping myself on one arm, I reach over and trail one finger from her bikini tie to the dip just above her arse. "I could talk to my All Black coach if you want and put in a good word as well."

Bella's head pops up again as she all but shouts, "No! I mean, thank you, but no. I know Jasper had to pull some strings to get me on with the Blues, but I wasn't sleeping with him, and there was no other alternative from what I understand. If you do it now and it works out, it'll taint the entire thing."

Holding my hand up I say, "I get it and I knew _you'd_ say that, but what kind of boyfriend would I be if I didn't offer?"

"Thank God. I was nervous I was going to offend you."

"Of course not! I'm proud of you for wanting to do it on your own, but you do know if Emmett gets wind of this, he'll be in Coach's office every day until they agree to hire you."

Bella turns her face into the towel and laughs. "Surely he wouldn't?"

"I wouldn't doubt it. I never told you he wanted us to just go ahead and get married if they wouldn't let you stay for some reason. If it were up to him, he'd have us in a joint ceremony with him and Rose this summer."

She peeks at me with a coy smile on her face. "I can think of a few better reasons for us to get married than to circumvent immigration laws."

"That's exactly what Carlisle said!"

"Well, as long as I can hold down a job, I can apply for work residency and stay here for the next thirty months. If we _do _decide to shack up, we have to live together for twelve months before I can apply for partner residency."

At the words 'live together,' I pitch forward and crash my mouth to hers, smothering her nearly naked body.

When I finally break away to take a breath, I let my forehead rest against hers. "So you're definitely staying?"

She wiggles her arm out from beneath my chest and cups my face. "Looks like it. I guess we'll just have to postpone that wedding until we're actually ready."

I'm smiling wide as fuck, kissing Bella's lips, and talking all at the same time. "I think I can live with that."

I settle back on my towel, and we spend the rest of the afternoon soaking up the sun, the highlight being when we jump in the lake to cool off, and Bella puts me out of my misery by surprising me with a quick hand job under the water.

After a leisurely dinner, we head back to the B and B and spend the rest of the night making good on our promise to celebrate our "I love you's."

oOoOoOo

Friday, after a delicious breakfast with Angela and her family, we head out for a full day of outdoor activities at Skyline, a park including luge races, gondola rides, and the Skyswing—a huge swing attached to bungee cords. Their luge race is the main attraction with three courses of varying difficulties, so we buy the largest package to let Bella try each one.

Bella speeds down the first course with ease, so we proceed to the intermediate course and end up going down that one several times before taking a break to ride the Skyswing. I've never actually ridden the Skyswing, but as Bella and I are bungeed through the air at over a hundred kilometres per hour, I'm glad we decided to ride it _before_ eating lunch.

"Aww," Bella teases, as we eat, "did the big swing scare you? The little girl in front of us didn't seem to have a problem with it at all."

"Shut it, Swan, or I'll tell Emmett about the time you were caught in the janitor's closet making out with a girl."

Her eyes widen as her mouth drops open. "That never happened!"

"Yeah, but who's he gonna believe—his best friend or the new girl?"

"You're so evil," she says, laughing. "I give—even though I think he'd probably have my back over yours at this point."

Sighing, I wrap my arm around her waist as we throw away our rubbish. "There's no way he'd believe me, come to think of it, but he'd still tease you about it forever."

We spend the rest of the afternoon going down the advanced luge course. Bella's fearless and even tries to race me on the last run. It's refreshing and exhilarating to find someone who loves being active outdoors as much as I do, and I fall in love even more when Bella checks her reflection in a store window. Instead of freaking out about the rat's nest currently resting on top of her head, she musses it up more and makes fun of herself—though she does grab my hat and pull it down over her head before we head into the Jelly Bean Store.

It doesn't take me long to learn of Bella's sweet tooth, but I still underestimate Bella's excitement as we enter. I admit, the _Mona Lisa_ replica made out of seventeen thousand jellybeans is impressive, and Van Gogh's _The Starry Night_ made out of almost twelve thousand beans is eerily accurate, but I draw the line at playing the Bean Boozled game where I may end up eating rotten egg flavoured jelly beans. Bella plays several times, and the worst she ends up with is a pepper flavoured bean before she proceeds to buy half the store, insisting the sweet treat is the perfect gift for everyone back home.

After a quick trip to the winery and dinner at the Skyline Resort, we head back to Lakeside. We're almost there when Bella starts laughing as she fiddles with her phone.

That's another thing I underestimated about Bella—exactly how close she is with these online friends of hers. Even though she's openly admitted to me that I've cut into her time chatting with them, she rarely goes too long without checking in from her phone.

I've also learnt that sometimes it's best just not to ask, but for some reason I ignore my instincts this time. "What're you laughing at?"

"Nothing, really. Perv Princess posted a really dirty picture, and everyone's commenting on it."

"Dirty picture, aye? Wanna share?" 'Cause I've seen some of their dirty pictures, and they're fucking hot.

"Um, I don't think this is really your cup of tea, baby."

I pull up at the B and B, snatch the phone out of her hand, and tease her. "Are you calling me a prude?"

Laughing, Bella raises her arms and says, "Suit yourself but I warned you."

Swiping my finger across her screen, my eyes are assaulted by something I would've rather gone the rest of my life without seeing. I toss the phone back into Bella's lap as if it were burning my hand and look up at her with wide eyes. "I didn't know you were looking at gay dudes all this time!"

Shrugging, Bella picks up her phone and starts tapping away on the letters. "It's not _all_ gay dudes; you've seen some of the other pictures, and are you telling me you've never watched two girls together?"

"Of course I have!" Does she not see the difference? "But women are beautiful and soft and curvy; men are ugly and hairy."

She sets the phone down in her lap, an amused smile on her face. "Yeah to _you_, but not to _me_!" She shifts closer to me and trails a finger down my chest to my stomach. "I happen to find a man's defined chest incredibly sexy, and the thought of powerful thighs wrapped around me, holding me close _really_ gets me going. I even love feeling your hairy calves rub against my smooth ones because I know it means our bodies are pressing against one another in all the right places." Bella closes her eyes, and I wonder if she realises she's switched from talking about men in general to talking about us. "Don't even get me started on how your back muscles flex when you take off your shirt. It makes my mouth water, and I wish I could suck your cock into my mouth every time."

Bella snaps out of her fantasy when I groan at her last words. She opens her eyes and looks at me. "Now just imagine how much hotter it'd be to watch two guys do that to each other."

I groan again, but not in a good way, and my hard-on loses a little life. "Now you're evil."

Bella leans over and nips at my neck as her hand palms my cock and squeezes. "Aww, I'm sorry, baby. Maybe you should punish me."

Turning, I kiss Bella hard on the mouth. "You're gonna be the death of me, you know that? You have two minutes to get to our room and strip, or I just might take you up on that offer."

Bella's eyes light up as she plants one quick kiss on my lips and bolts out of the car. Resting my head on my steering wheel, I try to calm myself and mentally scan through our sexual to-do list.

It turns out Emmett was right about this whole fanfiction thing. On more than one occasion, Bella has set down her tablet and immediately attacked me. I finally asked to read something that got her going and was shocked by the scene I read. It was nothing more than verbal porn!

Not that I'd make the mistake of telling her that, though. One lecture on why 'it's so much more than that' was enough.

Since that night, she's nonchalantly showed me a few more sections and given me a green light to act out everything I've read—which is fucking awesome. It's like being able to read her mind and know exactly what she wants, and I find it sexy as hell that Bella shares her fantasies with me.

Snapping out of my reverie, I finally turn off the engine to head up to our room.

I double check the hall before opening our door to make sure it's clear and take a deep breath. Bella is propped on her side lying on the bed, not wearing a scrap of clothing and grinning at me as she beckons me closer with her finger.

Unclasping my watch, I set it on the bedside table and cock my eyebrow at her. "I guess you didn't want to get punished after all, aye?"

Bella laughs and shrugs. "We're on vacation. I figured we should save that one for when we're staying some place with thicker walls."

Grunting in agreement, I pull off my shirt and watch Bella's eyes darken as they roam my chest. Slowly, I unbuckle my belt and pull it through the loops of my shorts before letting them drop to the floor.

Bella's hand, which is resting on her thigh, travels inward and upward until her middle finger slips between her lips. My cock is straining against my boxers, so I push the offending fabric down and step toward the bed until my knees hit the edge.

Fisting my hard-on with one hand, I hold the other out to her, motioning her to scoot toward me. She obliges and quickly starts licking the tip of my cock while I stroke myself. Her teeth nip at my foreskin before she slides her tongue between it and the sensitive skin beneath, swirling around the entire head. Cupping the back of her neck, I groan, "Keep touching yourself for me."

Again, Bella complies immediately. She uses her other hand to grip my shaft and pulls my foreskin back, her hand knocking mine off as she reaches the base of my cock. Her whole mouth closes over the newly exposed skin and she moans, though I'm not sure whether it's from something she's done to herself or from having my cock in her mouth. Either way, she's clearly worked herself into a hot mess, and I let out a loud groan of my own.

"Fucking hell, woman. I love watching you finger fuck yourself while you suck me off." Bella's eyes close and she moans around me again as she sucks me further into her mouth. "Do you have any idea how fucking sexy you are right now?"

She's squirming around on the bed as she loosens her hold on my dick and drags the foreskin back to the head with her mouth before starting the almost torturous process over. I can tell she's getting closer, and I really want to see her come. "Can you get yourself off for me, baby? I know you're almost there, and I want to see you come just from your fingers."

Bella's mouth pops off my dick, but her hand continues to squeeze and pump me erratically as her head drops down. Her fingers are rubbing furiously over her clit, and it's all I can do not to come before I even get inside her. "That's it, baby. Come all over your fingers. You taste so fucking good; I can't wait to lick them clean."

Both of Bella's hands still as my words bring her over the edge, and I thank God for small miracles when I don't explode just from watching her quivering body. Dropping to my knees, I pull her hand away; first sucking her fingers into my mouth as promised, and then licking the juices off her pussy.

I don't waste any time moving up her body and sinking into her as my mouth claims hers. My thrusts are quick and hard as my lips moves down, devouring her neck. Her pussy's gripping me so tightly, I wonder if she's even recovered from her orgasm.

Bella and I may have only been together a little over a month, but given the way our relationship started, we've had a lot of sex. I know there are times she doesn't get off just from penetration, and usually I'm okay with that because she's been abundantly clear about how happy she is with our sex life, but I'm suddenly determined to make her come again while I'm still inside her.

Slipping my hand between us, I rub around her sensitive clit while still moving in and out of her, but she squirms away from my touch.

"S'too much," she whimpers.

Pulling out, I flip her over, grip her hips to raise her arse a bit, and quickly slip back inside her. Running my hand up the length of her back, I stop at her neck and lean down to whisper in her ear, "Do you trust me?"

Bella clenches around me and nods her head. "Yes."

She answers so quickly and honestly, I have to take a moment to regroup, or I fear I'll end up flipping her back over just to kiss the shit out of her. Instead, I sweep her hair to the other side of her neck and kiss from her ear to her spine before trailing my hand back down to the curve of her arse as I sit up. Slowing my thrusts, I grab the lube we've left on the bedside table and coat her before sliding my thumb over her rear hole. Even at just the slight touch, Bella's pussy clenches around my cock at the same time a moan escapes her as well. Running my other hand up and down the base of her spine, I continue to rub her arsehole as I move in and out of her pussy.

"Oh, God. Fuck, Edward. Right there," Bella suddenly pants out. Relief courses through me and I pick up the pace, driving into her harder and harder with each thrust. She's squeezing me so tightly I know I'm going to have to let go soon, so I move my hand around to graze over her clit while finally letting my thumb slip inside her back hole.

Bella's orgasm hits her instantly, and as soon as she starts convulsing around my cock, I follow right behind her.

Out of breath and panting like a dog, I collapse on top of her, but I'm careful to keep my hands to myself.

"Holy fuck," Bella finally gasps. "That felt a lot better than I thought it would."

If I had the energy, I'd laugh. Instead, I bury my face in her neck and kiss her. "I love the fuck outta you. You know that?"

Bella giggles and tries to turn her head up to mine, but the way I'm crushing her makes it impossible. "Feeling's mutual, but you may have to get off of me soon. I'm going to need oxygen if I ever hope to recover from this."

Groaning, I force myself off of her and head to the bathroom to clean up. Bella's right behind me, and I'm pumped when she suggests we soak in the tub before going to bed. I haven't admitted it to her yet, but ever since the bath she ran me the other night, I'm kind of hooked on them. I even agree when she forbids me from touching her 'lady bits' again for the rest of the night.

Calling technicality, I wake her up shortly after midnight when I slide inside her, though neither of us complains. My slow and lazy thrusts are accompanied by gentle touches and lingering kisses until we eventually fall back to sleep.

oOoOoOo

The next morning, we head out just after breakfast again to visit Whakarewarewa, a living thermal village run by the Maori. We have tickets for the Geothermal Hangi Experience which keeps us busy through lunchtime, and we then have the opportunity to wander the village ourselves. Starting with a tour through the village, our guide explains the history of the village and some of the struggles the Maori have had with Rotorua residents digging wells to extract the thermal water. Living in New Zealand my entire life, I'm well aware of the hot springs, mud pools, and geysers that litter our country. Still, I've never been here before, and the way they use these natural phenomena as part of their everyday life to cook and clean is insightful.

Just before lunch, we catch the Maori Cultural Performance. After years of doing the Haka, I was far less captivated than Bella, but I'm glad she finds our culture so intriguing.

After a traditional Hangi meal that included the best corn on the cob I've ever put in my mouth, we wander around the village as we make our way to visit the famous Pohutu Geyser. It's fairly reliable about erupting once an hour, so we only have to wait a few minutes once we reach the lookout point.

Bella leans against my chest, and I wrap my arms around her waist as we watch the huge eruption. It doesn't last more than a few minutes, but we linger afterwards, just enjoying the view.

"My dad took me to see Old Faithful once when I was a kid. You ever heard of it?"

"Nope, is it a movie about geysers?" I hedge. She doesn't mention her dad often, and I can't figure out why she's bringing him up now.

Bella laughs. "No! It's probably the most famous geyser we have in America. It's not the biggest or most impressive, but it's so regular they say you could set your watch by it."

"I didn't realise you lived near geysers. This probably isn't as exciting for you as I thought."

She turns and leans against the railing as her arms wrap around my neck and pull me closer. "Oh, we didn't. He took me to Yellowstone National Park about two years after Mom left. It's almost all the way on the other side of the country from where I lived. I think it was his way of trying to prove we could still have fun, and we did … but it was still our first and last trip like that."

"That sucks."

Bella shrugs. "He did the best he could. We may not have ever been very close, but he had his ways of showing he loved me. He always used to make me a separate pot of meatless spaghetti sauce when I was little because I didn't like meat in my sauce as a child. He still does it actually, and I don't have the heart to tell him I don't mind the meat now. It means too much to me that he remembers and makes the effort."

"That's awesome, though. I don't think my parents would've done that for me when I was a kid. I had to eat what they gave me. Think he'll make extra meatless sauce for me when we visit?" I tease.

"You really wanna meet my dad?"

My mouth drops at her question. "Of course I do! Wait, how much does he know about us exactly?"

Her head drops against my chest. "He knows we're pretty serious now. I mentioned extending my stay here indefinitely the last time we spoke."

"How'd that go?"

"It could've gone better, I guess. He's worried about me after everything that happened with Jake. I mean, he was completely useless when I was heartbroken over that douchewad, but as I said, it wasn't because he didn't care. I don't think he's eager to see that happen again."

"Well, he has nothing to worry about then."

Bella looks up at me and smiles. "That's what I told him," she says, lifting up on her toes to kiss me. "You ready to get outta here? Even though we have to go back tomorrow, I wouldn't mind grabbing sushi on the way home and spending the rest of the night in our room."

Bella squeals when I bend down and throw her over my shoulder, swatting at her arse when she struggles. "Sounds like the perfect plan to me, baby. I have a whole list of ways to defile you in that room."

* * *

**A/N: I want to thank everyone for your well wishes. My family finally seems to be recovered, and I'm itching to write the final chapter tonight. I appreciate everyone's patience and support while I was unable to write or post.**

**I couldn't do this without my wonderful pre-readers and beta. They get all the awards and love.**

**Recs: HOLY CANOLI! How was I so late on reading **_**Departures**_** by TheFicChick? She wrote this as a one shot and thank you to everyone who begged her to continue this. It's a delightful mix of UST, holy-hot lemons, the sweetest love letters ever written, and a captivating love story between virtual strangers who let a single moment change their lives. Oh, and it's incredibly well-written. Can't say enough good things about it. It's only ten chapters so go read it NOW!**

**Also – because I'm shameless… I'm pimping myself! I'm writing a collab with two of the fandoms best … bornonhalloween and kitkat681. We're under the pen name, ThreeHotPotatoes, and just started our second drabble, **_**Homicidal, **_**today. Basically, one of us writes a 100 word chapter and passes it on to the next potato. We have no idea what's going to happen except for what's written in the summary! Hope you join us for the ride … the first one we did we was cracktastic!**

**There were a couple of shout outs in this chapter … I hope these ladies recognized them and don't mind me stealing a bit of their lives.**

**Reviews are love!**


	20. Chapter 18 - Don't Even Have to Try

**A/N: Final chapter … sniff. **

**FYI - There are several pictures in my Facebook group, Eden Park, from the last chapter, including the jelly bean pictures! **

**Disclaimer: Not my characters.**

* * *

_Three Months Later_

"Bring this man some more piss, Jessica!" Emmett yells to our waitress as he pounds me on the back.

"Why the fuck are you trying to get me wasted?" I ask. "You're the one who scored the game-winning try!"

"Hell yeah I did! It wouldn't have meant jack shit if you hadn't converted all _three_ of your tries, though! You better not lose that mojo when we play France with the All Blacks in a few weeks."

My eyes flicker to where Bella's sitting with Esme, heads bent close together while they talk. She glances up, meets my gaze, and offers me a playful wink before returning her attention to my sister-in-law.

"I don't think that'll be a problem, mate," I tell him.

"You ready to take the plunge tomorrow?" Emmett asks. "That's a really big step."

My head snaps toward Emmett and my jaw drops. "Who are you and what've you done with my best friend? You've been telling me to do this for months! Of course, I'm sure."

Emmett holds his hands up. "Just checking, bro. It's not like you're just moving in together. You two had to go all out and actually buy a house—that's a big fucking deal. Rosie and I haven't even done that yet."

"Sorry, I didn't realise this was a bigger commitment than promising ourselves to one another before our closest friends and family," I retort.

"Hey, I don't make the rules; I just follow them," Emmett says as if that explains everything.

"Where is your wife, anyway? I figured she'd be with us since she no longer has to hide the fact that she's not drinking."

Emmett peers over his shoulder to look for his wife. "I don't know, probably yammering away to someone again. I should get myself another beer, too, since I have a designated driver for the next seven months!" he says before tipping the rest of his beer into his mouth. When he turns to call out for another though, Rose appears between us with a full glass in each hand.

"I figure you two earned these after the way you played tonight," she says, plopping herself down in Emmett's lap and offering him a kiss that would embarrass me if I weren't so used to their public displays of affection.

In lieu of a traditional wedding present, such as a pocket watch, Rose handed over a pregnancy test with a clear, pink plus sign to Emmett the day before their wedding. They decided to keep the news a secret until after the season was over, but Emmett couldn't keep anything from me if his life depended on it, and of course once he told me, there was no way I wasn't telling Bella.

Emmett being unable to keep his trap shut ended up working out well because Bella and I were able to slip Rose non-alcoholic drinks during their reception and distract well-wishers who insisted on toasting the new bride.

Unsurprisingly, the moment the time ran out on the clock tonight after our last game of the season, Emmett was handing out little pink cigars and telling anyone who would listen he was going to be the daddy of the prettiest little girl ever born. Never mind that it's far too early to tell what they're having; Emmett fully believes that he can will the baby into being a girl if he wants her badly enough—and he definitely wants her. The man is already smitten with his unborn child.

There's a loud squeal in my ear as two arms wrap around my neck and squeeze me from behind, but before I even know it's her, Alice is already draped around Emmett's neck. "Look at you, big scorer _and_ future daddy! How the hell did you manage to pull off either of those?"

Emmett scoffs at her. "When are you people gonna realise that I have mad skills?"

"Yeah, yeah. We all bow down to your awesomeness," Alice teases as Bella finally makes her way over to me and settles in my lap.

"Hey, baby," I murmur as I nuzzle into her neck. "Long time no see."

She laughs and flinches away from me as my breath tickles her neck. "I just figured I'd give you some space to hang out with your teammates since I get you all to myself as of tomorrow."

"That's a nice thought, but you know you could've come over."

Bella smiles coyly and leans in closer, placing her lips against my ear. "Yeah, but I knew I wouldn't be able to keep my hands off of you. You know what seeing you play does to me."

My cock stirs in my jeans and I shift my hips. "Have I told you lately that you're evil?"

"Not since yesterday," she smirks.

I run my thumb over her bottom lip and soak in her smiling face. "You sure you wanna shack up with me tomorrow?"

"Hmm … I don't know. Maybe I should hold off until I meet the rest of the All Blacks next week. I could be missing out and wouldn't even know it," she teases.

"Ah … no. Not an option. I'm gonna have to tattoo my name on your forehead to keep those boys off of you."

Bella throws her head back and laughs, garnering attention from some of my team members. "I think something a little less obvious would work just as well—the field tackle was more than sufficient."

A huge smile breaks out on my face. "Admit it; you loved that."

"I did, and I love you. And just to be perfectly clear, I can't think of anything I'd rather do than wake up next to you every day." Bella's hands frame my face as she plants a chaste kiss on my lips.

"Emmett figures this is more serious than us getting married," I tell her, running my hands up her sides.

Bella glances over at Emmett who's talking animatedly with Jasper and Ben. "He might be right. At this point, marriage would just be a technicality. It's not like anything would change after a ceremony."

I nod my head, contemplating her answer. "True, but just so you know, if you don't let me put a ring on your finger, I _will_ tattoo my name on you so everyone knows you're taken."

"Haven't you figured it out yet?" Bella's voice drops and her fingers play in the hair at the nape of my neck. "I'll let you claim me any way you want from now until always."

Chills run the length of my body, and I close my eyes to calm myself. I squeeze her hip and clear my throat before asking, "You ready to head outta here?"

"Sure," she says, offering me a coy smile, "just let me run to the restroom first." Bella stands, but before she turns, she leans down, her breath fanning hot air against my neck as she slips her hand into mine. "Good game tonight, baby." Righting herself, she heads toward the bathroom, leaving me with a miniature chocolate bar in my hand. Smiling, I pocket the candy to add to the collection hidden in the back of my closet.

.

.

.

The following week, Bella and I have our first official houseguests over: Carlisle, Esme, my dad and his girlfriend, Jane. I had called my dad the day after we got back from Rotorua and explained that while I was open to at least trying to develop a relationship with him, I was nowhere near ready to start right away. I was surprised—and a little relieved—when he agreed and said he completely understood. He left the ball in my court, allowing me the time and space I needed to wrap my head around everything that had happened. True to his word, the only time he contacted me was to ask if he could come to a couple of my games. I agreed and while I didn't speak to him either time, it felt good to know he was there.

I decided against visiting a therapist again, but Bella and I did attend a few open AA meetings so I could get a better grasp of what my dad went through and will have to face for the rest of his life. It was enlightening to say the least, and I quickly realised I got off pretty lucky—my dad bailing and staying away from us was probably the best thing he could have done. Hearing stories of parents, spouses, siblings, and children ruining their loved ones' lives because they couldn't let go of the addiction convinced me of that.

It doesn't take away all of the hurt, and it doesn't begin to touch the disappointment I felt that it took so long for him to contact me again once he was back on track, but it was a start, and that was what I needed.

The doorbell rings, but before either of us can move to answer it, Esme's voice is filtering through the front hallway. "Hey, guys! I'm letting myself in; make sure you're decent!"

When she walks into our living room, she's carrying two dishes, so Bella hurries over to help her bring them into the kitchen while I greet Carlisle and take the package he's carrying.

"What's this?" I ask, lifting the heavy bag onto our coffee table.

"Housewarming gift."

"Well, thanks, but you guys didn't have to do that. We told everyone not to worry about it," I interject.

"You know Esme. She said it would go perfectly on some wall or other. I don't know. She said get it, so we got it." Carlisle rolls his eyes and I can't help but laugh. "Besides, this is a pretty big deal. You should let people celebrate with you."

Bella and Esme return to the living room, and it's obvious from the glint in Bella's eye that Esme's told her there's a gift to open. She has the grace to offer Carlisle a quick hug before tearing into the bag and pulling out an enormous decorative clock with _Whanau_ written in beautiful script across the front.

Bella gasps as she lays the clock down and her fingers trail over the lettering. Peering up at me she raises her eyebrows. "Family?"

I simply nod, appreciating Esme's gesture of accepting Bella into our family. Bella throws her arms around Esme, giving her an Emmett-sized hug before turning to Carlisle and doing the same. "Thank you! I love it! Isn't it beautiful, Edward? And you're right, Esme, it'll go perfectly on the wall separating this room from the kitchen. Can we put it up now?"

My father is due to arrive any minute, but it shouldn't take too long to hang, and Bella's so excited there's no way I can say no.

I've just finished screwing the hardware in when the doorbell rings, and Bella, who's actually been more nervous for me than I have about my dad visiting today, is so thrilled about the new clock she jumps up to get the door without hesitation.

The faint sounds of introductions filter into the living room as Carlisle hands me the clock, and I'm just standing back to admire my work when Bella escorts my dad and Jane into the room. My father looks happy, if not a little apprehensive, and the woman at his side is positively glowing. She looks to be several years younger than he is, and her blonde hair is pulled back away from her face. There's absolutely nothing about her outward appearance that reminds me of my mum, and I'm surprised at how much that relieves me.

"It looks even better than I thought it would!" Bella exclaims, clapping her hands.

"It's beautiful," Jane agrees. "It's new, I assume?"

"Oh, sorry! I lost my manners for a minute. Jane, this is Edward, Carlisle, and Esme." Bella points to each of us as she calls our names. "And yes, this is a very generous housewarming gift from Carlisle and Esme. It's perfect, isn't it?"

Bella's enthusiasm for the clock eases most of the tension in the room as everyone laughs and agrees with her assessment. Carlisle steps forward to shake Jane's hand and offers Dad a small head nod. Carlisle, while willing to give our father another chance, is not yet in the same head space I am about what happened, so his reticence isn't shocking. I follow suit but offer my hand to Dad; he gratefully accepts.

Bella shows Jane to the kitchen to drop off the dishes she brought for dinner, and I'm left alone with my dad and Carlisle.

_Awkward_. Party of three.

My hands are stuffed in my pockets, and I'm rocking back on my heels when Dad finally clears his throat.

"It's not quite as extravagant as the clock, but I did bring you something. I have one for each of you actually," he says, holding up his hand. That's when I notice the two small, identical bags he's holding.

Gripping the back of my neck with one hand, I extend the other to accept his gift. "Uhh … thanks. You didn't have to do that."

"It's not much at all, and I hope it doesn't upset you, but it was the only thing that got me through some days." Dad shoves his hands in his pockets. "I'm sorry if you're not ready to hear that yet, but after messing up by being afraid for so long, I wanted to go ahead and put it out there while I had the chance."

Carlisle has already opened his gift and is sitting on the couch staring at it, his hand covering his mouth. Curious, I open my bag and pull out a five-by-seven frame. Encased behind the glass is a picture of Carlisle, Mum, and me taken about six months before she died.

When I glance up at my dad again, his eyes are trained on the floor. Looking back down I ask, "Where did you get this?" Mum loved to take pictures, and as a result, there are countless pictures of us boys but very few that actually included her and almost none this close to when she died. In fact, I was around eight in the latest picture I have with all three of us.

"I took it with me the day I left. I didn't even think there wouldn't be another copy somewhere. Well, I didn't think at all, truthfully. I just knew I wanted to take a small piece of you three with me. I kept having new prints made whenever one would wear down—which never took long as much as I pulled it out to look at it."

Carlisle speaks up, his voice shaky, "I don't understand. I thought you were glad to be rid of us."

"I was," Dad pauses, "and I wasn't. It's something I can't fully explain. In my more lucid moments, I wanted nothing more than to come to you two and beg for your forgiveness. Then I'd realise how badly I'd ruined any chance of that ever happening, which would spiral me right back into my depression. The drugs helped with the depression, but they killed all other feeling along with it."

The girls walk back into the room, and Bella joins me. She fingers the picture frame I'm still staring at, much the same way she did the clock, only this time the look on her face is almost reverent. "She's gorgeous, Edward. You look just like her in this picture."

I look over at Carlisle who's still sitting on the couch with his head bowed, Esme's arms wrapped around him. He looks up at me and the pain is written all over his face. I offer a smile and nod my head. Taking a deep breath, he stands and approaches our father. Holding out his hand, he says, "Thank you."

Relief washes over Dad's face as he takes my brother's hand in his. "Thank _you_. I'll do my best not to let either of you down again." Carlisle nods and returns to Esme's side as I approach my dad.

"Thanks. This is really great."

"I'm sorry you had to go so long without it, but I'm grateful I had a memento of you nonetheless."

"I'm glad you did, too, and I'm glad you had the guts to share it with us now."

My father's hands find their way back into his pockets, and I'm guessing he's struggling to hold back just as many emotions as I am right now. "I've made a lot of mistakes, son. It's time to start setting them straight."

Everything's been said that needs to be said, so I just clap my hand on his shoulder and tilt my head toward the kitchen.

As we follow the rest of our small family into our new kitchen, I can't help but think about how much my life has changed in just five short months, and it's all due to the woman currently leaning against the counter, discussing recipes with Esme and Jane. Thanks to her, I had the courage to accept my father's apologies and start on a path of forgiveness. For the first time ever, I actually look forward to my future, and I know—without a doubt—that the rest of my life will be full of love and laughter. We may have our ups and downs, but there's no question we'll come through each stronger for having gone through them together because being with Bella is as natural as breathing; I don't even have to try.

* * *

**A/N: There you go. I've been excited all week for the end, but I'm a little sad now. Still, I'm saving my sap for the epi.**

**THANK YOU to my girls: Amber, Born, Chaya, Whiti, and Yummy. They're so good to me. I pulled in Intricacy to help with this chapter, too, so an extra thank you to her. Love you ladies!**

**Just an FYI because so many people have asked… my plan is to write the epi ASAP and post hopefully in a week or so. I also want to write the final chapter of Soulmates sooner than later, and I have two (fun!) outtakes planned for Try. I don't want to wait too long on any of that because I don't want to lose the characters, but I finally got a little plot bunny hopping around in my head for something new, and I'm excited for it! **

**Thank you to everyone who reads my words. It's such an honor that you take the time.**

**Reviews are love!**


	21. Epilogue

**A/N: Thank you! I owe a special thank you to HappyCup for Emmett's nickname here! Also, I didn't research adoption laws in NZ so please forgive any incorrect information.**

**Disclaimer: These characters belong to Stephanie Meyer. I'm just glad she lets me play with them;)**

* * *

**BPOV**

Smiling, I hoist my baby girl further up my hip as I watch my husband and Emmett chase Dom and Layla around the yard. Alice groans as she watches them while feeding her sweet little Megan a bottle.

"Is that what I have to look forward to in a few years?" she asks. "I'm exhausted just looking at them. They haven't stopped running since we got here!"

"I see lack of sleep does not agree with you, Ms. Grumpypants," I tease. "_You_ had more energy than that before this little one came along."

Apparently, Alice doesn't find the humor in my statement because she glares at me before gesturing toward Elizabeth on my side. "Just be glad neither of yours had colic," she grouses. "This little stinker tricked me that first week when all she did was sleep, but I haven't been able to sleep more than two hours at a time in the past three weeks!"

Her indignation is so at odds with her normal exuberant self, I can't help but laugh before offering my most sympathetic smile. "I know, and I'm sorry. Why don't you let me keep her for a night this week? You and Jasper can go out or just stay home and relax. I won't be able to for much longer." In three weeks we'll be heading to America for a full year, and as much as I love New Zealand and our family here, I can't wait to be near my dad for more than a week or two.

Alice's eyes widen, and she quickly shakes her head. "No! I can't leave her alone yet! She's not even five-weeks-old. What if something happens, or she thinks I've abandoned her?"

"Okay, okay! I get it, but know the offer's on the table if you want it," I say, knowing damn well she'll never take it. Edward and I were the same way with Dom. He was probably six months old before I let anyone stay with him. It was an entirely different story by the time Elizabeth was born. As soon as she was a month old, we were dropping both of them off with Eddie and Jane for some time alone.

Rose, who had been tapping on her phone throughout the conversation, huffs loudly. "You can take mine if you want. I don't know what I'm going to do with Bree. She's asking if she can stay at her boyfriend's house all night to watch some movie marathon. 'But his parents will be there'_,_" she mimics her daughter. "I don't think so—I wasn't born yesterday!"

"No, thanks," I quip, glad I don't have to deal with teenagers for a while yet, "but good luck with that. Maybe you'll have better luck with Layla; after as much trouble as she gave you coming into this world, she's due to go easy on you in her teen years."

I'll never forget the day Layla was born—she burst into the world three weeks early and with a vengeance. Complications plagued Rose throughout her pregnancy, and she was placed on bed rest and advised to have round-the-clock care by her ninth month. Esme was on baby duty the day Rose started bleeding and called Edward and me while they were on the way to the hospital. By the time Edward and I arrived, Rose had given birth to their beautiful baby girl, but since she'd hemorrhaged during the entire delivery, Rose had required a full hysterectomy.

Instead of dwelling on what would never be, they decided to adopt almost immediately. Rose didn't want to adopt an infant with so many older children unable to find loving parents, so Rose and Emmett decided to adopt a teenager. After meeting fifteen-year-old Kate and hearing her story of abuse and neglect, they knew they wanted her immediately. Once they learned that she had a younger sister, there was no question that eight-year-old Bree would also be coming home with them.

Needless to say, Rose and Emmett's lives changed dramatically in the course of just one year, but they accepted it head on, and despite Rose's current grumbling about their middle daughter, no one would ever question how much she loves her three girls.

While Layla's birth holds memories of terror, worry, and finally relief, I can't help but think of that day without a huge smile coming to my face because it also happens to be the day I promised to marry the man of my dreams.

I had just put the final touches on the new training schedule for the season when my phone rang. I'd picked it up absentmindedly and was immediately worried when I heard Edward's voice on the other end.

"_I left my bag at home. Is there any way you can get it before you come back here?" he asks, sounding distracted._

"_Sure, but don't you need it before I'll be there? I don't know when Esme will be back, and you know I can't leave Rose—she's not supposed to be alone," I remind him. _

"_I just talked to Esme; she's on her way over there now."_

"_Oh, all right. I'll be there as soon as possible then," I tell him. "Are you okay? You sound weird."_

"_Yeah, I'm fine, just pissed at myself for leaving my bag at home."_

"_Okay, no problem. I'll see you soon."_

"_Thanks, Bella. I'll make it up to you tonight, okay?"_

_Grinning, I tell him goodbye and hang up the phone. He knows he doesn't have to make it up to me, but I'm no fool!_

_As soon as Esme arrives to sit with Rose, I rush home hoping to get to Edward before he needs his gear._

_I walk into the living room and take a quick glance around but head back to our bedroom when I don't spy his bag._

_Entering our room, my eyes widen as I take in the setting. It's the middle of the day, but the curtains are drawn so the lit candles strategically placed around the room offer a perfectly romantic ambiance. I don't even give them a second thought though, because in the middle of our floor, Edward is down on one knee, surrounded not by rose petals, but by hundreds of miniature chocolate bars. He extends one hand toward me and gestures me forward with one long finger. Fortunately, my feet follow his command because I'm pretty sure my brain just switched off._

"_Bella," he begins once I've reached him and placed my hand in his, "I could list all of the reasons we're perfect together or all of the ways you've saved me. I could try to dissect everything I feel for you and put it into words, but the truth is, nothing would even come close. From the first moment I saw you in that parking lot, you owned me completely. Will you please agree to be my wife so I don't have to tattoo my name on your arse?"_

_A giggle escapes me, and I'm already nodding my head as my mind struggles to catch up with what's happening. I hold back the tears as I finally whimper out a yes. _

_Edward is on his feet and hugging me before the 's' dies off my tongue, and I cling to him like a magnet to steel. _

"_Do you want to see your ring?" he asks, trying to pull away._

_I only grip him tighter. "No! I just want to stay like this a little bit longer. I think I'm still in shock."_

_Edward's chuckle shakes my entire body, and I finally loosen my hold on him. "Will you please look at your ring now? I'm a little nervous you won't like it."_

_I squeeze him tight one more time before letting go and looking into his perfect face. "Kiss me first?"_

_A brilliant smile breaks out on his face as he gently cups my face. My arms find their way around his waist as he lightly runs his lips along mine. Wanting more, I pull him closer and melt into him when, in a move that brings me right back to our first kiss, he nips my bottom lip between his teeth, and he continues to kiss me tenderly._

_Finally breaking away, he rests his forehead against mine and smiles again. "Now?"_

_I nod once, overcome with excitement and shocked that he could think I wouldn't love anything he picked out for me. My smile is impossible to contain as he slips his hand in his pocket and pulls out the ring box, opens it, and places it in my waiting palm. _

_I've always imagined having a traditional ring with very little fuss, but this … wow. I'm still staring at the ring with my jaw dropped open when Edward nervously clears his throat._

"_I didn't think you'd want anything too extravagant, but I really wanted to get you a chocolate diamond, and when I saw this one, well, I knew it would look perfect on your finger."_

_When my eyes meet his again, I finally close my mouth. "It's perfect. I love it. I also love the chocolates on the floor. Very clever, though you must've gotten a strange look when you bought out the entire Godiva store!"_

_He smiles again and shakes his head. "Nope. I didn't buy a single one."_

_I've already started checking out my ring again, so it takes me a minute to register what he's saying. When realization finally strikes, my mouth gapes. This time there's no stopping the tears that slip down my face. "You saved them?"_

_Edward's thumb gently brushes my cheeks free of tears and nods his head. "I told you I knew from the beginning. Now can I please put this ring where it belongs?"_

_Nodding, I hold out my shaking left hand, and he decisively slides the ring onto my fourth finger before leaning down and kissing it. "Thank you," he says._

"_I should be thanking you. I'm so happy, I could scream and cry and jump up and down all at the same time."_

"_That's why. Thank you for being you because you are exactly who I need, and I'm so damn grateful you want to be with me."_

Jasper's laughter brings my attention back to the chaos in our yard, and I watch as he helps Dom and Layla attack Emmett while Edward has him pinned to the ground.

"Rawrrrrr!" Emmett yells, eliciting peals of laughter from the kids. "You guys better give it up now! You know no one can hold down _Frankemstein_!" Emmett forces a laughing Edward off of him before clambering up and throwing his arms in front of him to chase after the kids while growling.

**EPOV**

When Bella yells at us to come inside so we can start grilling, I see Carlisle and Esme walk onto our patio with my dad and Jane right behind them. It's been almost eight years since Dad came back into our lives, and while things aren't perfect between us, they're better than I could have ever hoped. I was finally able to let go of most of my anger after several years of him consistently being there and never pushing for more than I could give. Thankfully, by the time the kids were born, we were on pretty good terms, and Dominic and Lizzie only helped to bring us closer.

Jane never had children of her own but stepped into the role of pseudo-grandma like a champ. My dad was smitten with Dominic the moment he laid eyes on him in the hospital, and the feelings only increased as he grew older. When Bella and I decided to name our daughter after Mum, I knew I had to talk to my dad first. Since coming back into my life, Dad and I had our fair share of fights, awkward moments, bonding moments, and even downright strange moments, but that conversation was the first time I saw him break down and cry. When I tried to console him, he simply shook his head and told me nothing would've made Mum happier.

I can't help but smile as I watch Dominic tackle my dad and give him a big hug before running into the house to wash up. I take advantage of Jane stealing Lizzie from my wife and sneak up behind Bella to wrap my arms around her and gently kiss her neck.

"Took you guys long enough to get here," I say, punching my brother in his bicep, one arm still firmly around Bella's waist.

Carlisle grabs his arm in mock pain while my dad laughs and holds his hand out to me. "Watch it, bro," Carlisle says. "We were late picking up your damn present. It was barely finished in time."

"Oh, well in that case, don't worry about it," I joke. "You guys didn't have to get me anything, though. I specifically said no gifts."

"Like that was ever going to happen," my father scoffs, "but if it makes you feel better, it's from all of us so you only have to endure opening one."

Bella starts bouncing on her toes and clapping her hands. "Thank effing God! It's been killing me not to tell you!"

Laughing, I let Bella pull me inside as the rest of our family follows. Bella gets nearly as excited about giving gifts as she does about receiving them, so I'm really impressed she was able to keep it a secret.

I spot the rectangular box lying on our kitchen table right away and smile at the wrapping paper covered in rugby balls. Not really one to draw things out, I quickly tear up the paper and lift off the top. Resting inside are two All Black jerseys displayed within one frame. Several pictures of me scoring tries strategically surround them and the team motto, 'Subdue and Penetrate,' is written in bold, black letters across the top. What really touches me, though, are the twenty or so names written on each jersey. Upon closer inspection, I realise the one on the left is my very first All Black jersey, signed by each of my teammates, and right next to it is this year's jersey with my current teammates' signatures.

"How did you guys do this? Some of these guys don't even live around here anymore," I say, running my fingers over the glass.

"We all pitched in," Emmett speaks up, "but it was Bellaboo's idea, and she did most of the leg work. Daddy Eddie visited the guys that'd moved away. No one could believe you're retiring already though—said you still had another couple of years in you."

"Yeah, but we've been over this a million times, Em. Dom starts school next year, so this is the last chance we have to take a year off. Family first, mate," I say, still distracted with the memories these names bring to mind.

"I know," Emmett sulks. "Just relaying the message."

I struggle not to roll my eyes at his pouting. Not that I don't appreciate the sentiment, but he knows the deal, and if it were his family, we both know he'd do the same thing—he's just gonna miss my arse on the field next year. Knowing it's best to drop it, I avoid the subject. "This is awesome, guys. Thank you so much."

Turning to Bella, I hug her first. "It's perfect, baby. I love you."

She squeezes me tight before kissing me and shooing me off to thank everyone else.

Saving my dad for last, I offer him a hug. "Thanks, Dad. I appreciate you tracking everyone down like that."

Shrugging it off, he says, "It was no big deal. You see everyone else almost every day, and I enjoyed meeting them. They all had such great things to say about you."

"That's actually kinda surprising. Looking back, I feel like I was so green those first few years."

"That's how it usually is, but I caught a couple of your games your first year and you were pretty damn good."

A few years ago, this comment would have spun us into an incredibly awkward bout of 'uhs' and 'ums,' but now I take it for what it's worth and simply smile and say thanks.

"So, you guys ready for this trip? You found a place to live while you're in the States yet?" he asks.

"Yeah, we found a house to rent about five minutes from Charlie's place, so he's thrilled."

"I bet," Dad says, rubbing the back of his neck with his hand. "It's going to be hard enough on me not seeing you guys for an entire year. Lizzie's just barely toddling around now; by the time she gets back, she'll be keeping up with Dom."

"You know you're always welcome to visit, old man," I tell him. "The kids would love to see you. Dom says he's excited about going, but he has random moments where he looks at me for a while before asking how long it'll be before he gets to come back home again. Sometimes I wonder if this is a good idea for him."

Dad waves me off. "He'll be fine, trust me. Kids are resilient. He'll have you two; that's who really matters to him. The rest of us are just the icing on the cake. He'll be tickled pink to Skype with us, and when he starts school next year, he'll have a million stories to tell his friends about America."

Relief courses through me as I consider his words and realize how important it is to me to have his approval. "Yeah, thanks. Besides, Charlie would never talk to me again if we backed out now."

"He hasn't tried to bully you since the first time you guys met, has he?"

"No, thank God. I'm not sure I'd survive another Swan silent treatment." I laugh and shake my head as my mind wanders back to the first time I met Bella's father.

_I'm only a little nervous as Bella and I finally grab our luggage from the carousel and start toward the exit to meet her dad. From what I can tell from conversations with Bella, it's obvious Charlie Swan loves his daughter and as long as she's happy, he's happy. _

_And I definitely make Bella happy, so I'm not really anticipating a problem._

_The moment we walk outside, Bella takes off into a run and throws her arms around an older guy with dark hair and a twitchy moustache. My confidence rises when he smiles at Bella with an adoring look on his face—until his eyes land on me, that is. All traces of warmth and affection evaporate as she introduces us. _

_Holding out my hand I say, "Nice to meet you, sir." Charlie ignores my hand, but offers me a small grunt and grabs Bella's bag before turning away and tossing it in the back of the squad car._

_Okay … now I'm a _lot_ nervous._

_._

_._

_._

_Over the past three days, Charlie Swan has warmed up to me about one tenth of a degree. By that I mean he answers me using complete words now instead of only one-syllable grunts, and he stopped cleaning his guns when he noticed Bella and I went our separate ways to bed. I could handle anything he dished out if Bella and I had gotten at least a few minutes alone since we got here. Unfortunately, though, the Chief took the week off so he could spend all of his time with Bella while she was in town before moving 'across the world to shack up with some hotshot rugby player.'_

_His words. Not mine._

_I'm actually looking forward to today, though. Bella's taking us to visit her college campus, and even though her years here don't represent her happiest days, she seems excited to walk around and show me her past._

_The morning passes quickly as Bella gives me a tour of the campus, walking dutifully between her father and me so he doesn't have to acknowledge my presence on Earth any more than strictly necessary. It's really starting to wear on me at this point, but I'm keeping my mouth shut so as not to further upset Bella. _

_The stars and heavens align after lunch when Charlie gets a work call he has to take and steps around the corner for some privacy. Without hesitating for even a moment, I push Bella up against the closest wall and cover her mouth with mine. "God I've missed doing that to you. Remind me why we can't get a hotel room, please?"_

_Bella giggles but doesn't stop kissing me. "How about because it's only a week, and we're halfway there?"_

_I push my hips against her so she can feel my hard-on, but tear my lips away from hers before I get carried away. "Right," I mumble._

_Bella's fingers play at the hem of my shirt. "You're doing great, you know? He'll warm up to you eventually. I'm sorry he's being such an ass. I tried to talk to him, but he refuses to back down. Thank you for being so good about everything."_

"_I can't really blame him. I'd be upset too if I were losing you to some 'hotshot across the ocean,'" I tease, mimicking her dad as I tickle her sides._

_Bella's laughter echoes through the building until we're interrupted by an unfamiliar voice._

"_Bella?"_

_She stiffens immediately, so I squeeze her hips before pulling away from her body and slipping an arm around her waist._

"_Hey, Jake," she says, glaring at him, frown firmly in place. _

"_What're you doing here?" he asks her while looking at me._

"_Just visiting for the day with my dad and Edward."_

_I tilt my head at him in acknowledgement but don't offer my hand. He stares at me again before his eyes widen. "Edward _Cullen_? Of the All Blacks?"_

_At that, Bella's eyes pop up and her mouth hangs open. "You watch rugby?"_

"_Yeah, I've always loved it. I just never had time to watch it with you clinging to me every second of the day," he says, still looking at me and smiling now._

_My hand tightens around Bella's waist and the words tumble out of my mouth. "Watch your mouth; no one's allowed to talk to her like that."_

_Jake's eyes widen and he looks back and forth between Bella and me. "You're together? Did you knock her up or something?"_

_This fucking arse. Standing to my full height, I take a small step forward, but keep one arm around Bella. "Last warning," I say, sounding much calmer than the rage I feel coursing through me right now._

_Jake holds up his hands and takes a step back with an I'm-a-fucktard smirk on his face. "My bad. I just assumed. She was pretty good in bed now that I think about it. Enjoy my sloppy seconds, man."_

_My feet carry me forward, and I've gripped his shirt and pulled my right fist back without even thinking when Bella's hand lands on my arm. "Edward!"_

_Glancing over Jake's shoulder, I take in all the attention we've drawn—including that of one Chief Swan—and slowly lower my right arm. Instead, I twist his shirt a bit more and pull him closer. "If you _ever_ insult her again, no one will be able to stop me—not even Bella. Get the fuck outta my face," I finish before shoving him backward into a very angry, very intimidating Chief of Police. _

_Charlie sneers at Jake as he scampers away like the dog that he is, before I turn back to Bella and cradle her face. "You okay?"_

_I can't read the look on her face as she stares back at me and nods her head._

"_You know nothing he said was true, right?" I can practically feel Charlie's eyes boring a hole through my head._

_A smile breaks out on her face, and she throws her arms around my neck. "Of course, I do!" she says into my ear. "Thank you for sticking up for me, but I can't believe you were gonna hit him! That was _so_ not a good idea."_

"_The hell it wasn't!" Charlie finally pipes up. "That boy needs to be knocked down a peg or two after what he did to you. I didn't hear what he said, but it must have been bad to rile this one up after the ways he's taken all the shit I've dished out at him over the past few days," Charlie says, slapping my chest affectionately as he talks._

_I look at him incredulously as Bella voices my thought. "What?"_

_Charlie has the decency to look sheepish. "Well, I didn't do it on purpose at first. I really didn't want to like you originally, boy, but then I saw how much you obviously love my daughter. I just wanted to make sure you'd stick with her through the bad times, too. What's worse than a father who carries a gun and hates his daughter's boyfriend?"_

_Bella starts fussing with her dad, but all I can do is smile. I know I don't need his permission to be with Bella, but having his approval goes a long way toward convincing her to marry me, and it looks like I just got the green light._

When Bella hip checks me, my mind returns to the party. She hands me a plate of raw chicken and gives my dad a platter of hamburger patties. "Time to get cooking, boys!"

Dad and I head outside with Emmett and Jasper to put the meat on the grill while the ladies stay inside to get everything else ready. While we cook, Layla and Dom run around our backyard together already dirty again, and Lizzie takes a few shaky steps toward me having just been released from her mother's arms. I scoop her up and she puts her chubby hands on my cheeks and smooshes them together, asking for a kiss. Always wanting to please my girls, I smother her face in kisses and catch Bella gazing at us with a small smile on her lips.

She's even more beautiful today than the day I carried her boxes inside Eden Park, and even now—eight years later—I can't believe I was lucky enough to make her mine. My smile widens as I think about the next journey of our lives together—unscripted and unpredictable as they may be. Before she turns back into the kitchen, I pull a miniature chocolate out of my pocket and toss it to her with a wink. She catches it with ease and pops it in her mouth before mouthing the words that never fail to warm my heart. "Love you, too."

* * *

**A/N: I'll try not to make it too long…**

**So many thank yous. First, to Whiti for being born and living in NZ and being awesome in general. I never would've come up with this idea if it weren't for her. Born was my biggest cheerleader from the beginning when I was freaking out because my one shot was over 15K words and they hadn't even kissed yet. She's taught me so much and hasn't hesitated to tell me when I make her want to gouge her eyes out, and I love her for it. The rest of my team – Yummy, Amber, and Intricacy at the end. Thanks for keeping my characters on track and my Kiwi boys Kiwi;) My lovely beta, Chaya, who so patiently went through the first chapters I sent her and explained twenty times why you shouldn't start a sentence with 'And' and never once told me **_**she**_** wanted to gouge her eyes out! I've got the best beta evaaaah… thanks for all that you do!**

**YOU GUYS! THANK YOU! For reading my words. For loving them. For telling other people about them. For telling me you love them. I've been overwhelmed and flabbergasted by the support for this. I know I extended it even beyond the plan, but I was hoping to at least break 100 reviews when it was only going to be ten chapters. I'm shocked to have over 1500. You guys rock my world. **

**Come join me on Facebook to get updates on what's next! Since Try is ending, I'll be changing the name of the group to Sweet As Shell Shock! Rugbyward will always hold a special place in my heart. Pictures of the ring will be there! It can also be found here…**

princesscut-engagementrings*net / 1-84ct-chocolate-cushion-cut-diamond-engagement-ring-18k-gold /

**I do plan to write more E/B, but my next venture (after Soulmates) is going to be slash (E/Em in case you're wondering). I know that's not for everyone, so if I lose you there, I hope to see you again on my next E/B!**

**Thanks again. Love you all!**


	22. Try Extra POV Outtakes

**A/N: This is not a planned outtake, but I wrote these little snippets after each chapter to send to reviewers as a thank you. I'm so blessed to still be getting reviews on so many chapters that I don't have time to respond to them all and include these little snippets so I'm posting them. **

**Chaya actually read over these for me so they look a bit better than they did when I sent them out in my replies! (Some were typed on my phone! LOL) Hope you enjoy! **

**Xoxo**

**shell**

* * *

**Chapter 1 - EPOV**

Seriously, I know Em doesn't really mean it, but does he _have_ to complain _every day_ about getting here early? He's still jabbering on when we get out of the car, and I can't stop myself from snapping. I mean really, I'm tired too!

"You're as stupid as a two-bob watch if you're still surprised I want to get to practice early, Em. It's never going to change as long as we're playing for the All Blacks. Might as well get used to it, mate."

I hear a gasp behind me and turn toward the noise. A petite brunette, with legs for days, is standing round back of her car trying to close the boot while juggling a couple of bags and a box. Her chocolate eyes lock with mine, and for the first time in a long time, I'm so thankful women seem to want to know me simply based on my looks because this is a girl I definitely want to know, and I'll take whatever advantage I can to make it happen.

**Chapter 2 - EPOV**

I catch up to Em and Riley quickly and smack Emmett in the back of his head as I fall in line next to them.

"OW! Dude, what's your problem?" he exclaims.

"What the fuck was that about…telling her I'm a ladies' man?"

"Uhh…it's not like it's a huge secret that you've gone out with a few women in your lifetime, mate," Emmett responds.

"Well, you don't have to make it seem like I'm bringing a different woman back to my house every night!"

"Well, well, well, Eddie, my man!" I don't even have to look at Emmett to know his smile is impossibly huge and smug. "I think someone has a crush on the new trainer!"

I roll my eyes, and he just keeps going. "Edward and Bella, sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G."

"Shut the fuck up. You are so immature."

"Ooh, I'm not the one in looooove," he teases me.

Deciding silence is my best bet here, I keep my mouth shut. When Riley speaks up I have an urge to whack him in the back of his head, too.

"I don't blame you, mate. She is so fine. I bet half the team is going to go after her; you better move fast."

As if this is something I don't already know. I groan internally…it's going to be a long season if I can't make that girl mine.

**Chapter 3 - EPOV**

"Seriously? Sweet as, Bella! You rock."

I shove a bite of the black chilli prawns into my mouth. I can't believe she's giving us her take-aways, too. The list of reasons for making this girl mine just keeps growing.

For once, I'm not focused on Bella, so I barely hear her utter through her cough, "Sweet _what_?"

Shit! Is she choking? Should I help her? My mouth is full, but I'm getting ready to risk spewing it all over Esme's desk when Esme speaks up, "Sweet as. Another Kiwi phrase I'm sure you'll hear a lot. It means cool or awesome."

Bella's face immediately turns a deep crimson. Damn, she's fucking beautiful when she blushes.

"Oh! Right! I knew that one. It just sounded like something else with the accent and all. You guys don't even say the word I thought you said, so that was dumb of me anyway. Okay, well, I'm just gonna go now." Did I mention she's cute when she rambles, too? She clearly doesn't know me very well if she thinks I'm letting her get away after _that_, though.

I grip her wrist and grin up at her. "Oh, no. You're not getting away that easily. What exactly did you think I said?"

Then I shove another bite of food in my mouth. What? I'm a growing boy.

Bella's eyes are covered when I look back up at her. "This is so embarrassing. I thought you said 'sweet ass,' which is stupid because you say 'arse,' so it doesn't even make sense. I'm still getting used to the accent, and it just took me off guard."

Her confession surprises me. She sounds embarrassed and unsure of herself. Does she not realize how incredibly hot she is? I wait for her to meet my eyes before deliberately raking my eyes down to her arse and smiling. "That, too," I say and then take a bite of the duck pancake.

_So good._

**Chapter 4 - EPOV**

I know Bella is trying really hard to fit in so I try really hard not to laugh at her, but I can't believe she thought Riley had an STD. I briefly consider letting her think that; Riley was definitely flirting with her earlier, and I don't need his competition. Sitting with my arm around her, huddled closely together, I'd like to think he's a non-issue anyway, but I don't want to take any chances.

I can't do that to her though, so I decide to fess up but not before another round of laughter escapes from my chest.

"Stop laughing at me," she whispers and then pokes me in the stomach. "You promised you'd help me."

"Sorry, Bella," I reply. I finally man up and stop laughing. "That's just the funniest thing I've heard in a long time. I'm so telling Riley and Emmett about this."

"NO!" she squeals. "You can't! Oh my gosh! Please don't. Please! I'll do anything; just name it. Please, just don't tell them."

Fuck. Yes. Just what I wanted to hear. I'd never force Bella to do anything she didn't want to do, of course, but this gives me the perfect opening.

"Anything?" I grin down at her, already making plans on how to get her alone to cash in my IOU.

**Chapter 4 – EPOV - 2**

It's the middle of summer so there's no way Bella is cold, but I just smile and pull her closer. "So, I've been thinking about that IOU."

"Mmm…" she says, not giving anything away, "and just what have you been thinking about it?"

"I was thinking how I said it would be good for both of us and how I'd hate to break that promise." I drop my hand a little lower, barely grazing the top of her ass with my hand.

"Oh yeah? How noble of you."

Laughing, I pull her into a small alcove. I don't really want an audience for what I'm about to do. God, I hope it works. This girl is driving me crazy. I can't stop thinking about her, and I just met her yesterday!

Summoning up all of my courage I say, "I don't think what I'm about to do is noble at all, Bella." I run my fingertips down the side of her neck until I reach her necklace, flipping it back and forth to calm my nerves. "Trading in an IOU for a kiss from you seems about as far from honorable as I can get, but I don't care if that's what it takes to taste you."

Not waiting for an answer, I pull her closer and gently kiss her lips. She's so petite, even her face looks tiny cupped in my large hands.

I feel a surge of victory run through me when her arms wrap around my waist, and she pulls me closer to her, asking for more. I kiss her again—still slowly in case she changes her mind—and suck her lip between mine. The way she responds to me excites me in all the right places, and I can't wait to have her in my bed. I finally pull away when she gives a small breathy sigh—not wanting to push my luck, but I keep her close and rest my forehead against hers.

"So, was it good for you?" I ask cockily. There's no way she didn't love that kiss as much as I did.

"Funny guy, you are." Damn, she's so beautiful.

"Damn, you're so beautiful. How the hell are you single? American blokes must be idiots. You've been here for two days, and half the team is already dying to ask you out. Thank God I force Emmett to work out early every day, and I saw you first."

No longer hesitant, I lean in to kiss her again, pulling her tighter to me when I feel her fingers run through my hair. It's all the encouragement I need, so I sweep my tongue across her lip and make my way inside for my first real taste of her. Immediately, I know I'll never get enough of her.

I deepen our kiss and my hands start roaming her body, wanting to touch her everywhere. Her hands are pulling my hair so hard it almost hurts, which just makes everything feel even better. I can't stop the groan that emanates from my chest. I want to mark this girl. I want to make her mine, and I want to make sure the whole world knows it.

**Chapter 5 - EPOV**

I wait until after lunch to call Emmett. I don't want to look like a total pussy—not that I'd really care that much if it means I get the girl. Unsurprisingly, he doesn't even say hi when he answers the phone.

"Dude, I want to know everything that happened between you and Coachette, and don't you dare leave anything out."

"Nice, Em. And there's nothing to tell. I crashed and burned."

"No way!" Emmett's just as shocked as I was last night. "That girl is totally into you. She couldn't take her eyes off you all night!"

"Yeah, well she didn't have a problem keeping her eyes off of me after I kissed her; she said she didn't want to get involved with a player."

"Why the fuck not? Players are awesome."

"I dunno. Maybe I was reading the signals wrong. She's just as friendly with you as she is with me," I reason.

"Friendly, yes, but you can practically see the little hearts floating around her head when you're in the room with her. I'm not buying that shitty excuse, so the question becomes—how do we figure out the real reason and get her ass back?"

This. This is why I put up with Emmett's shit. When I have a problem, there's no hesitation—just an immediate 'How can I help?'

"I don't know, man, that's why I called you. I'm not willing to let her slip through my fingers. I'll do whatever it takes."

"Well, let's do this shit! Operation "Win Coachette Bellaboo So You Don't Turn into Edward McBroodster" is underway!"

I laugh in spite of myself. "That's a lame-ass title, dude."

"Fuck you! I'm the brains of this deal, and I say it's awesome." With that, he launches into theories based on what he knows about Bella, and we come up with a pretty good plan. It all hinges on how our first interaction goes Monday. If she's not willing to hear me out then I'll have a long road ahead of me to get my lips back on hers. I hope it works because I can barely stand the thought of waiting another day.

**Chapter 6 – EPOV**

"You better not mess this up, dude." Emmett claps one hand around the back of my neck and pulls my forehead to his as if we're scheming during a huge match.

Although in actuality, what happens next will likely determine my love life for the foreseeable future, making this feel much bigger than a play in any game I've ever been in.

"I got it, man. Apologize. Be cool. Be friendly. Be charming. No worries."

"I'll come by after a few minutes to bail you out in case you fuck it up."

"Naff off, Em." I push him off of me and run my hand through my hair. "I'm not going to mess it up. You know as well as I do, she'll at least accept my apology; she's not the type of person to blow me off completely. I just have to make sure she knows I'm still into her without scaring her off."

"Right … and not that I'm telling you what to do or anything…" I give Emmett a massive eye roll at that, "…but I'd try to keep my lips off of hers if I were you."

"Fuck you. I gotta go. I'm going to be late for my first class with her… that'll really show her I respect her."

"Go get her, mate. Operation "COCK" is underway!" I turn to look back at Emmett who's pumping his fist in the air.

"Operation what?"

He's so excited, he looks to be about two seconds away from jumping up and down like Alice. "Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you. I decided operation "Win Coachette Bellaboo So You Don't Turn into Edward McBroodster" was a bit too long. So now it's called Operation "Coachette is Only Coming for Kiwiward… operation "C.O.C.K." for short! NICE, huh?"

I stare at him slack-jawed for a moment before silently turning and jogging off to class, praying I'm not late for my first session with Bella.

**Chapter 6 – EPOV -2**

"I hardly think I helped at all; I just got carried away seeing my first try. You know I'm out here to root for all of you boys!"

What?! My heart plummets immediately into my stomach as I look at her in confusion. Bella's still-smiling face turns toward me, but I can't stand to look her in the eyes and show my disappointment. I can't believe this; I thought she was different.

I barely hear Emmett pressing Bella for more information and take a peek at her confused face—so beautiful and honest.

She is different. I've never met anyone like her. So why the hell am I doubting her now? There has to be a reasonable explanation for this...

**Chapter 6 - EPOV -3**

_Shit_.

I'm starting to think I'd rather have Tanya back as our Pilates instructor. She didn't know what the hell she was doing, but this shit Bella has us doing is hard. Thank god I've managed to hang in so far and not make a fool of myself. I'm thinking my luck's about to end with this open-leg rocker.

I try again to move my body like Bella had hers, but it ain't happening. I'm both relieved and disappointed when Bella makes her way over to me. She kneels next to me and places her tiny hands on my calf and just above my ass, pushing me to where I need to be.

"Try to get here next time. If you go just a bit further, you'll really feel it."

I can't stop the gust of air that rushes out of my mouth, "Oof."

Bella stands and my body instantly misses the touch of her skin. "Don't worry. You'll probably pick this up before I learn all those Kiwi-isms."

Surprised and delighted, I risk a glance at her face. She grins down at me and heads back to the front of the room. Well, if she's willing to joke around with me, she's not likely to throw me to the wolves. I move out of the position and finally let myself believe I can make this work.

**Chapter 7 – EPOV**

"So?"

"So what, Em?" I take a bite of my turkey and ham sandwich.

"So what happened with Bella last night?" He's not even eating. He must really want to know.

"Umm… we had dinner with you and Rose."

"Dude! Tell me what the fuck you two were doing on my couch, or I am never letting this go."

Well, now. I could make this work in my favor.

"So, you're saying if I tell you what you want to know, you won't make fun of Bella or me?"

"At all? Come on, man!"

I pretend to think about it for a moment and offer him an exaggerated sigh. "Fine. If you promise to lay off after four days, I'll tell you whatever you want to know."

Emmett spits on his palm and offers it to me immediately, "DEAL!"

**Chapter 8 – EMPOV **NOTE POV CHANGE****

I plop my arm on the back of Esme's chair. All is right in my world. My girl just texted me to tell me she's heading over now that her parents are asleep, and my best friend just left with the woman he's going to spend the rest of his life with.

Esme gives me the side-eye as I snatch a french fry off of her plate.

"Any reason in particular you're looking especially smug right now, Em?"

"I'm just a happy motherfucker, Esme! Can you blame me?" I ruffle her hair just for shits and giggles.

She quickly bats my hand away and gives me the Esme eye. I'm not gonna lie—that shit is scary, almost as scary as Rosie's eye. It's like a fucking truth serum. I try to look away, but before I can, she's already speaking. "Tell me what you know. Have they finally come to their senses? Why didn't someone tell me?"

Unable to hold back, I blurt out, "Did you see how Bella spent all night trying to keep Riley off of her? I know if it'd been Edward, she would've been cooing all over his junk right back. I kept shooting him my 'Let's give this fucker the beat down for touching your girl' look, but I shoulda known he'd never go for that shit."

She's looking eerily similar to midget-girl, bouncing around in her seat like a crazy person. Not that I blame her; if I could, I'd be dancing 'The Sprinkler' around this bitch, I'm so happy for those two.

But I have an image to uphold, so I can't be doing that shit in public.

"Calm down, Mama Es. You might want to think about cancelling your Sunday lunch with him this week, though!"

To my chagrin, Esme cackles, "That's definitely not happening. He's showing up whether he wants to or not, and if I have anything to say about it, that girl will be on his arm when he walks through my door."

Fuck! I wanted to be their first double date—I'm gonna hafta lock that shit up with the quickness if I want to beat Esme and Carlisle. I quickly pull out my phone and text Rosie, telling her to meet me at the door.

We have a brand new couple to intercept.

**CH 9 – EMPOV**

"Rosie! You think we should give Bella a toothbrush as a housewarming gift? She'd like that, right?"

My hot-ass fiancée rounds the corner to find me digging through the last of the five-box shipment that arrived on our doorstep last year. How was I supposed to know a gross meant a dozen dozen? That shit's confusing—they should just advertise it as one hundred forty-four toothbrushes.

"No, I really don't think she'd like that at all, and you should stop giving them away as real presents."

"What're you talking about? People love it when they get a toothbrush from the Emmenator!" No they don't…I know this. I'm not an idiot. But I love the way Rosie looks at me when I say stupid shit.

She smiles at me and bats at my chest. "Keep telling yourself that, baby. You probably _should_ give her a toothbrush, though. Her feelings may be hurt when she finds out she's the only one of your friends who doesn't have one. It's like a rite of passage with you. I'll get her a real gift to go with it, too."

I grab her around the waist as she tries to pass me in the hallway and pull her against me so I can kiss her neck. "Has anyone ever told you how sexy you are when you take charge and tell me what to do?"

Rose laughs and tries to squirm away from my hot breath now tickling her neck. "Just you…several times a day."

When she squirms just right and rubs against my erection, a small moan escapes from her mouth.

That's it. Game over. I spin her around and hoist her over my shoulder, heading for our bedroom.

Time to show my girl exactly who's in charge.

**Chapter 10 – BPOV**

I know I shouldn't be nervous, but I can't help myself as we make our way up Carlisle and Esme's sidewalk. Esme's friendship means a lot to me so I really want her approval, especially considering how much Edward means to her. As stupid as it is, I can't help but worry I won't be enough for Edward in her eyes. Plus, if Edward had at least called to let them know I'd be here instead of ambushing them like this, I might feel a little better about showing up.

Edward squeezes my hand when he knocks before letting himself inside. As nerve-wracking as this is at the moment, I know deep down the only way Esme would be disappointed in Edward and me is if she found out about us tomorrow through whatever crazy plan he has concocted to make our relationship public. I'm pretty sure he's not going to actually tackle me in front of the team—I think.

Pulling myself out of my thoughts, I see Esme swat at Carlisle to get him away from whatever she's fixing. Their love is evident, and my heart pounds at the thought of Edward and me having that someday.

Carlisle finally notices us so I give him a small wave, and at the first mention of my name, Esme turns, squealing in delight just like Edward said, and I immediately feel silly for thinking Esme wouldn't approve and breathe a sigh of relief when she accepts me into her warm embrace.

Bit by bit, New Zealand is starting to feel more like home to me than any other place I've lived, and I couldn't be happier about it.

**Chapter 11 – EMPOV**

"So, you're not really giving up on this tackle thing, are you?" I ask as Edward and I wait for our turn on the bench press.

"I don't know. I don't want her to lose any footing she has with the team. They respect her, and I don't want to ruin that."

Fuck that. I want to see this shit go down. Time to goad the beast. "What's the alternative then? Keeping it a secret? Will you be able to handle the locker room talk? They're gonna keep that up until everyone knows you're together."

"Huh," Edward grunts, "I hadn't thought about that."

SCORE!

"With the exception of a couple douchebags, this is a good group of guys. They won't think less of her just because you're dating. Hell, they'd probably kill to be in your shoes." Edward's face scrunches up even more as he considers our teammates wanting his woman. "Besides, keeping it a secret will just make everyone talk more, and they'll wonder why you just don't own up to it, you know? You don't want people to think you're ashamed of her." That was a low blow, but it succeeded in putting the final nail in the coffin.

"Fuck that. You know that's not true!"

"Of course I do, bro. I'm just saying, you never know what people are gonna think."

"I'll talk to Coach about it when we're done here. You've gotta keep her from running out though."

My smile is a mile wide. Mission accomplished. "No problem, mate. You know you can count on me." This is going to be epic. Bella may act like she doesn't want there to be any hanky-panky at work, but I know deep down she wants Edward to show everyone she's his just as much as he wants to claim her.

**Chapter 12 – BPOV**

I can barely comprehend what just happened as I watch Edward's dad walk down his hallway. Until five minutes ago, I didn't even know if the man was even still alive, so obviously I wasn't expecting him to show up at Edward's apartment tonight.

Apparently, Edward wasn't either.

Turning to Edward, I wrap my arms around him and do my best to offer him comfort. Hoping to make saying bye to Alice and Jasper easier, I offer to see them out, but I'm not surprised when he says he needs to talk to Jasper.

Everything about him is off as he drops his arms from around my waist and heads toward the living room. My heart aches for him, and I swipe at my eyes as a stray tear falls. Edward doesn't deserve this heartache, and I wish there were something I could do to help him.

I try to pull myself together before he notices, but the questioning look in his eyes tells me I've failed when he turns back and holds his hand out for me.

"You coming?"

I plaster a smile on my face, hoping to reassure him, but the moment my hand touches his, the electricity that always seems to flow between us sends warmth throughout my body. My smile relaxes, and I vow to be his rock through whatever's about to come our way.

**Chapter 13 – EMPOV**

Shit! I'm still in the hall when I realize I've forgotten my lucky boxers. Rosie's not allowed to wash them while we're on our winning streak, but the guys in the scrum talked me into letting her freshen them up after each game.

Apparently, they didn't appreciate 'Eau de Em' after our ten-game win streak last year.

I've barely pulled the door to the changing room open when I hear a muffled, "No panties, huh?"

Hell, yeah! I knew my little Bellaboo was a lady on the streets but a freak in the bed!

I am closing the door as softly as possible when I hear Bella reply, "What can I say? I was hoping to get lucky with the hottest guy on the team tonight."

Fuck that! I'm the hottest guy on the team. I'll let it slide, though, since Edward's finally found someone who makes him happy.

Pulling out my phone, I shoot off a quick text to Rose.

Don't think the lovebirds will make it tonight. Somebody's about to get lucky in the changing room. –Em

Good for them! Take a picture in case we ever need to blackmail them. ;) –R

THAT'S why I love you, baby. Tho I'd love you more if you blew me in the changing room after a match. ;) –Em

Getcha arse over here and maybe you'll get lucky in the bathroom. –R

Sweet as, Rosie baby. Tell all those vultures I know are surrounding you to stay away. Your lobster's on his way. Love you! –Em

**Chapter 14 – EsPOV**

"So, how's he doing?" I ask Bella as I cut up pats of butter to top the egg and cinnamon soaked bread.

"Not too bad," Bella says as she pulls the last of the bacon off the skillet. "He has moments where I can tell he just wants to avoid the whole shitstorm and moments where his anger gets a little out of control, but considering everything that's happened, I'm really proud of him. I'm not sure I could handle it this well."

Relief courses through me, and I've no doubt Bella is the main reason Edward's doing so well. "He was a mess back then," I share, "so full of guilt and so angry at the world. He wouldn't talk to us about anything and was constantly getting into trouble; that kid did his best to push us away. I was so scared we were going to lose him just like we lost their dad. If he hadn't fallen in love with rugby, I don't think he would've made it. The game saved his life."

Bella nods, studying the bacon before turning to me. "You know, Esme, I don't think Edward sees it that way at all. I'm pretty sure he credits you and Carlisle with saving him."

"That's ridiculous. We did what anyone would do when we took him in. Rugby finally turned him around," I disagree.

"Maybe so, but you shouldn't discredit your role in that. Edward knows what you did for him. I hope you know how much it means to him and how much he loves you."

Popping the French toast casserole in the oven, I contemplate Bella's words. Whether or not I agree, they bring a smile to my face. Impulsively, I hug the girl who's brought so much happiness into Edward's life and suggest we join our guys.

**Chapter 15 – CPOV**

I hang up the phone and lean over my desk, palms down and head bowed. Every muscle in my body is tense with anger, and I have the irrational urge to destroy everything in my office. Instead, I pick up my stress ball and start squeezing it as I resume pacing. It's immediately obvious that it's just not enough to do the trick, and I end up throwing the damn thing as hard as I can against my closed door.

A moment later there's a knock at my door, and Esme enters without waiting for my reply.

"You okay?"

"Yeah … no, but I will be," I amend.

"What'd he say?"

I fill Esme in on everything Edward just told me and watch her eyes widen in shock.

"FUCK!" I scream. "Why does he have to do this to Edward now? He was at peace with everything that happened and had finally found a damn slice of happiness with Bella! You should've heard him, Es. There were times when he sounded just like the scared fourteen year old kid he was when Dad first left."

Her arms circle my waist from behind and some of the anger leaves my body. She's always been able to calm me with just her touch. Mum had the same effect on Dad.

"Give your brother some credit. He's a big boy now, and he has Bella's support which will make a huge difference this time."

Sighing, I turn and pull her into my arms. "You're right. I know you're right, but I don't know if I'll ever be able to forgive him for what he did to Edward. It's been too long."

Esme remains silent, offering me support through her touch as my stomach churns at the thought of the first real conversation I'll have with my father for the first time in almost fifteen years.

**Chapter 16 – BPOV**

Alice walks through the door just a few minutes after Edward leaves. Fortunately, I've managed to wrangle my hair into submission, so I shouldn't look too freshly fucked.

"Hey," she says, dropping her bag by her bed and falling back into it. "How'd dinner go? Where'd you end …"

"I TOLD HIM I LOVE HIM!" I blurt out before she even has a chance to finish her sentence.

Sitting back against the headboard, I look down at my crossed hands as if I didn't just blurt out my life-changing revelation.

"You WHAT?" Alice shrieks but continues without waiting for an answer. "Tell. Me. Everything!"

Taking a deep breath, I peek over at Alice and spill my guts. When I finish, she bounds into bed with me and hugs me tightly.

Squealing, she swats my shoulder. "I can't believe you told him first! Go you!"

"I _know_, but I couldn't hold it in! I always thought what they write about in fic was some farfetched dream, and real life just didn't work that way, but now I know real life is actually better! I couldn't put what I feel right now down in words if I tried, Alice."

Alice hugs me again, saying, "I really am so happy for you. I love both of you so much and can't think of two people who deserve to find love more."

"Thanks, Alice," I say, hugging her back.

She hops off my bed and back onto hers as she says, "At least now I can forgive you two for the noises I heard coming out of this room when I came back thirty minutes ago. You two really should hang a tie on the door next time!"

My mouth hangs open in shock, but I recover quickly, and Alice barely misses the pillow I throw at her before we burst into fits of laughter.

**Chapter 17 – EmPOV**

"Rose!" I shout from our bedroom. "Get that fine arse of yours in here! I have something for you to read."

She emerges from our bathroom, looking sexy as hell even with her hair wrapped up in a towel.

"I was reading Star Wars fanfic and found a scene I thought we could try out!"

Rosie rolls her eyes but joins me on the bed anyway.

"I promise this one is better than 'Assablanca.'"

"It better be if you want to live until our wedding."

I pull up the browser, but before I can even open my mouth to explain the plot, she's off the bed again.

"No fucking way am I reading anything titled 'Star Whores: Return of the One-Eye.' Keep searching, baby."

"But Rosie! Can you at least wear your hair up like Princess Leia?"

Rose's answer appears in the form of a long middle finger saluting me from over her shoulder as she walks back into the bathroom. Undeterred, I switch genres, determined to find some sexy smut for Rosie to read.

Fucking Edward gets all the luck landing a girlfriend who's already addicted to this shit!

**Chapter 18 - EmPOV**

"So," Edward starts as we watch the rest of my wedding party leave the rehearsal, "you ready?"

"Yeah, man. Can't wait. Rosie's gonna be smokin' hot tomorrow." True facts. She's hot every day.

"You ready to get pissed one last time as a single man?" he asks.

"You know it. Just gizza minute alone," I tell him as Rosie walks up to us.

"Hey, baby," she says, winding her arms around my neck as Edward walks away. "I have your wedding present ready."

"Yeah?" I thrust my hips against hers. "I got yours, too, baby."

Laughing, she smacks at my chest. "Shut up. I'm serious."

Reaching in her purse, she pulls out a small, rectangular box and hands it to me with a nervous smile on her face.

"I have something for you, too," I say, taking the box, "but I was going to have someone give it to you tomorrow."

"That's fine. I just wanted to be with you when you opened this."

I pull the top off the box, and my eyes widen as I realize what's inside. My mouth drops open, and I look back up at Rose. "Seriously? I'm gonna be a dad?"

Without waiting for a response, I scoop her up and twirl her around while she laughs in my ear. "FUCK YEAH!" I scream. "I can't wait to tell everyone!"

Rose buries her head in my neck and squeezes me tighter. "I love you for being so excited, but maybe we should wait to tell everyone? At least until we see a doctor."

A twinge of fear sluices through me as I understand Rose's implications, and I set her down gently before patting her belly. "Of course—you're right. I'm just so fucking thrilled! She's gonna be perfect; just like her mum."

Rose's eyes warm, and she smiles before burying her head in my chest. I hold her close, knowing I'll do anything it takes to put that look on her face every day. "She, huh?"

"Definitely. I hope we have a whole rugby team of little girls that look just like you," I whisper in her ear.

She looks up me and grins. "Stop being perfect and go do your thing with Edward. And can you make sure he keeps his trap shut when you tell him, Blabbermouth?"

I spit on the palm of my hand and hold it out to her, but instead of shaking it, she simply rolls her eyes and gives me a quick kiss before pushing away from me. "Behave tonight! I want my groom in one piece tomorrow!"

"Hate to see you leave, but I love to watch you walk away, baby!"


End file.
